PR says UNITA creates coalition because it can't win the MPLA alone

João Lourenço, who was speaking in an interview with five news organizations, who were asked to send two questions in advance, addressed in addition to the country's politics, questions about the economy, justice and the social situation.

The head of state said that the opposition, since the first general elections held in Angola, in 1992, had misread the country's political "theatre of operations".

"Since the first elections of 1992, the opposition wrongly" has made a "bad evaluation of the theater of operations": "In the 1992 elections, it was said that the MPLA [Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, in power] had no hypothesis, for the simple fact that, until that time, it had been a single party. With the opening to multipartyism, before the elections took place, they were already saying 'new pants in September'", but that "didn't happen, not even in the following elections", said João Lourenço.

For João Lourenço, "once again also for these elections [in August 2022], there continues to be this poor evaluation of the theater of operations".

"Deep down, basically, the simple fact that our main adversary is resorting to a kind of coalition" which "they are calling the United Patriotic Front, to face the MPLA, that just means to say that, perhaps, they are worse than they were a few years ago, in the previous elections", he stressed.

The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Adalberto da Costa Júnior, has already announced that it will make a joint candidacy, with several opposing forces and civil society figures in an attempt to win the September elections.

The President also questioned whether the mobilization of young people "to commit acts of vandalism, riots" constitutes "a sign that the opposition is strong".

"If the opposition only knows how to do that, then I believe once again that it is a misjudgment. Putting disaffected young people on the streets burning tires, breaking car windows, if that is a sign that the discontent against the MPLA is like that so big, that they are going to defeat the MPLA in the next elections, it's good that they continue to think like that", he joked.

The head of state also questioned "if in the previous elections [UNITA leaders] felt strong enough to individually face the MPLA and today they think no, then I don't need to say anything more."

"There is a sign of recognition on their part, that on their own they may not win the MPLA, they need to form a coalition, so they can form a coalition", stated João Lourenço, stressing that the opponent is not chosen in the game.

"Never [was] anyone from the 1º de Agosto [football club] saying to Petro de Luanda: 'In next Sunday's game António, Fernando, Joaquim have to line up." Petro de Luanda knows who will line up, the opposition also knows who will line up, who will be the leaders, who will be the players, if only one will come to the ring, or if there will be three against one or four against one," he stressed.

"The only guarantee I can give you is that the MPLA is prepared to face the opponent, whether it presents itself alone or in association," he added.

The opportunity to win, continued the President, always exists, "it all depends on the player's posture, how he plays, how he prepares". "We are seeing how they prepare, burning tires, breaking car windows, everybody is watching," he said.

According to João Lourenço, "the opportunity is there, it's the same for all competitors, for all players".

"People should keep in mind that the voter, who is our judge, is not stupid at all, knows how to do his readings, he won't hand over the victory to a competitor just because he thinks it's my turn, I'm in the right now to win the elections, everyone is in the right, but just being in the law is not enough, being in the law, as long as the candidacy is approved by the Constitutional Court, from then onwards, it depends on what will happen on the ground," he said.