Africa-Press – Angola. The MPLA parliamentary group proposed, Thursday (9), in Luanda, a debate on electoral transparency, on the 21st, to demonstrate “its willingness and coherence”, in relation to the process and, consequently, the realization general elections scheduled for August this year.
The proposal was forwarded to the press at the end of the meeting of the presidents of the Parliamentary Groups, which scheduled the 4th ordinary plenary meeting of the IV Legislative Session of the National Assembly within 13 days.
Virgílio de Fontes Pereira referred that, with the conference, taking place before the agenda period of the plenary session, the MPLA also intends to “break the taboo” at the level of the opposition and of some sectors of civil society, which the party does not is interested and does not wish to broach the subject.
The parliamentarian highlighted the need to discuss the issue by the actors who have increased responsibilities towards the electoral process. “We intend to hold a structuring, serious and responsible debate on the electoral process”, said the deputy, admitting that the initiative can create a “certain nervousness” for the opposition and in some fringes of civil society, due to the fact that the MPLA is “in the mood” He referred that the guarantee of a transparent electoral process must be ensured by all citizens, recalling the “increased responsibilities” of the MPLA in maintaining the country’s credibility during the electoral process.
“We are the main stakeholders in ensuring that the electoral process takes place in a transparent, credible way and whose results Angolans are proud of”, said Virgílio Fontes Pereira, who recommended that opposition deputies face the process from the perspective of what is good for Angolans and not a process based on the fraud narrative. He considered it “strange” that, at the time when it was proposed to hold the conference on transparency, some opposition parties expressed the desire to introduce other topics such as the doctors’ strike. “We must have a method of discussing the country’s structuring issues”, he appealed.
He underlined that the issue of electoral transparency was proposed with “some” pedagogical intention and expressed the MPLA’s willingness to continue with debates in the National Assembly, on the subject, to settle the “political conflicts”, resulting from the process, above all, between the two main political forces in the country (MPLA and UNITA).
Asked if the debate on transparency will put an end to the “political noise” in the country, he only replied that “the position of the MPLA parliamentary group at the level of the National Assembly is in the sense that it should not be the deputies who cause such noise”. Health in debate
The president of the MPLA parliamentary group announced that a “broad debate” on the health sector would take place next May, noting that the proposal was also formally advanced yesterday, at the meeting of parliamentary leaders.
He underlined that due to “some disagreements ”, regarding parliamentary procedures and discussions around the format of the debates before the period of the agenda of the sessions, Virgílio Fontes Pereira said that the MPLA will soon present a proposal to revise the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.
Agenda for the next plenary
The plenary session on the 21st of this month will proceed to the final global vote on the bills amending the Criminal Procedure Code and approving the Administrative Litigation Procedure Code. Deputies must also definitively approve the proposals for a Public Appropriation Law and on the General Regime for Administrative Offenses.
The deputies will also appreciate the proposals that change the Press Laws, on the Exercise of Broadcasting Activity, Polls and Opinion Inquiries, as well as Merchant Marine, Ports and Related Activities.
During the session, the parliamentarians will also have to consider and vote on the draft resolution that aims at the ratification of Angola to the African Charter on Statistics and appoint the election of members for the Superior Council of the Judiciary of the Public Ministry.
UNITA supports the end of the use of the mask
In statements to the press, at the end of the conference, the leader of the UNITA parliamentary group began by applauding the decision of the National Assembly to decree, from now on, the end of the use of the mask by deputies, in parliamentary sessions.
Liberty Chiyaka also supported the fact that the next plenary sessions will have the maximum presence of deputies, excluding only those who suffer from diseases that require some care from the room.
The parliamentarian considered the agenda of the next plenary to be “peaceful” and welcomed the proposal presented by the MPLA to promote a conference on the transparency of the electoral process.
“We salute the courage for the initiative”, said Liberty Chiyaka, recalling that the electoral processes in the country have been tainted by vices that jeopardize credibility.
She said that the credibility of the electoral process largely depends on the attitude and posture of the Commission Electoral Council (CNE), Constitutional Court, political parties and sovereign bodies, such as the Presidency of the Republic and the National Assembly.
The proposal presented by UNITA to discuss the doctors’ strike, according to Chiyaka, “merges” with the debate on the state of health in the country, scheduled for next May, by the MPLA parliamentary group. parliamentarian that he directs will present a vote of protest against the partisanship of public institutions, especially in the Education and Teaching sectors.
Regarding the tensions arising from the accusations in the context of the electoral process, he asked that the MPLA, as the ruling party, be committed to with a “transparent, free, fair and credible” electoral process.
CASA-CE and PRS in solidarity with the plenary
The parliamentary leaders of the PRS, Benedito Daniel, and of CASA-CE, Alexandre Sebastião André, considered the themes of the plenary on the 21st of this month to be “peaceful”.
Among the points to be addressed in the next plenary session, Benedito Daniel highlighted those that have to do with the diploma that amends the Law on the Exercise of Broadcasting Activity and the proposed law on Polls and Opinion Surveys, within the framework of the electoral process. “These are diplomas that, eventually, can improve and adapt to the current moment”, he said, applauding the MPLA’s proposal to hold the debate.
Sebastião André, from CASA-CE, also valued the debate proposed by the MPLA, as well as another advanced by UNITA, on the congratulations of the Peace Day.
On the agenda, he highlighted the proposal to amend the Press Law and on the Exercise of Broadcasting Activity, justifying that many citizens intend to open community radios and there is a need to regulate these services. For the politician, the Press Law must be updated and regulated to serve the interests of all political forces competing in the elections next August.
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