Africa-Press – Angola. Decorations in Angola spark controversy. An Angolan activist denounces a lack of transparency in the 50th-anniversary independence awards and accuses President João Lourenço of using the honors as political propaganda.
The 5th Decoration Ceremony, presided over by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, marked the awarding of medals commemorating the 50th anniversary of National Independence to several public figures, including Laurinda Prazeres, Mário Fernandes, Simão Wala, Ricardo d’Abreu and Teresa Dias.
Professionals in the fields of health, culture, social communication, and sports were honored. In journalism, notable honors included Paulino Damião (posthumously), Teixeira Cândido, Pedro Neto (RNA), Paulo Julião (TV Zimbo), Neto Júnior (TPA), and Jorge Gomes, known as “Man Gomito” from Rádio Mais. Musicians such as C4 Pedro, Yola Semedo, and Anselmo Ralph, as well as athletes such as Manucho Gonçalves, were also honored. In the political and social sphere, governors Nuno Dala and Narciso Benedito, among others, were honored.
However, the awards have drawn criticism. In an interview with DW, Angolan activist Laura Macedo questioned the legitimacy and criteria behind the honors, accusing President João Lourenço of using the awards as a political propaganda tool.
“There are many people being decorated who aren’t even worth the ground they walk on. We have murderers, people who have never contributed to the Angolan state. Just because you’ve worked for a government or a political party doesn’t mean you deserve a medal,” he said.
Laura Macedo also criticized the lack of transparency in the process, revealing that honorees are only invited to submit biographies after their names are already on the official lists.
The ceremony, which was intended to celebrate half a century of independence, ended up raising questions about the political use of tributes and the need for greater rigor and transparency in the distinctions awarded by the Angolan state.
DW Africa: In your opinion, do decorations maintain the symbolic weight of other times, or are they being trivialized by the excess of distinctions?
Laura Macedo (LM): I think there are many people being decorated who aren’t even worth the ground they walk on. We have a serious problem with this excessive awarding of decorations. Honestly, if I had a close relative who had done something truly worthy of an Angolan state decoration, I wouldn’t allow them to be lumped in with this group. We have murderers, people who have killed and continue to kill. People who have never contributed anything to the Angolan state. Just because someone worked for a government or a political party doesn’t mean they deserve a decoration. The state is much bigger than that. I’m sorry so many people feel flattered by receiving these medals.
DW Africa: What criteria should be prioritized when awarding public figures with national medals, in your opinion?
LM: For example, the medal for achievements related to independence is a very serious matter. It should be awarded to those who truly deserve it. I cannot accept that someone who, immediately after independence, fled to Portugal to maintain his Portuguese nationality, receives a medal from the Angolan state. This man is a traitor. If he fought against colonialism, how is it that he now holds an identity card and passport from the country that colonized us? How is this possible?
DW Africa: Could the inclusion of musicians, journalists, and governors in the same ceremony dilute the meaning of these tributes?
LM: I acknowledge that there were important journalists, especially in the post-independence period. Now, lumping them in with bad leaders? No. The problem is that they’re honoring their friends. A friend of mine told me someone asked him, “Wasn’t your father honored?” And he replied, “No.” They asked for his full name and a biography. They’re asking for biographies after publishing the names on the lists. What criteria are these? If they don’t even know the people’s achievements?
DW Africa: In other words, do you feel that there is not enough transparency in this process in Angola?
LM: In Angola, there is no transparency whatsoever. The Angolan government is not transparent. Since independence, there has been no way to say, “This is right.” Nothing is indisputable. It doesn’t exist.
DW Africa: How can these distinctions be used as a political tool by the Government or the President of the Republic?
LM: That’s what the President of the Republic is doing. It’s political propaganda, just like the inaugurations of hospitals that don’t work. We don’t have the staff to operate the equipment they install there. It’s a campaign, and a poorly executed one. What’s the point of honoring people the public knows are murderers? They’re lumping together the executioners of May 27th with the victims. They receive the same medal, on the same day. It’s already caused problems.
DW Africa: What could be done to ensure that decorations effectively represent merit and service to the nation?
LM: Create a serious commission, with older people from civil society. People who lived through that time, who know the stories. There was a lack of public scrutiny. No one is proud of the honorees. The one I’m proud of is being honored on the same day as the criminal. The victim and the murderer are on stage together. How credible is that? They’re choosing friends, people who’ve never done anything. They talk about development? What kind of development?
DW Africa: You also mentioned the cost of the medals…
LM: This is used to extort money from the government. They said the medals were solid gold. That’s shiny brass. Now they say it’s gold-plated. Are we kidding? In a hungry country, they spend millions of dollars on medals. That money should be used to train teachers. Most of them are useless because they’re poorly trained.
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