The information was provided by the chairman of the parliamentary group of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Liberty Chiyaka, explaining that they were expelled by the jurisdiction council of the largest opposition party, and not by the board.
"I want to make it very clear that it is not the UNITA board that expelled him, we have the national jurisdiction council, which is a kind of party court, the body responsible for the issue of discipline of members who have the same rights and duties", said Liberty Chiyaka, when questioned by Lusa.
The now former members of UNITA, the politician explained, "were not expelled for having gone to court, but for having violated UNITA's statutes."
"Citizens are free to resort to State institutions, but there are internal rules, whoever intentionally violates the statutes and regulations to create deep damage to UNITA must be held accountable", he pointed out.
A deliberation by the national council of jurisdiction of the party led by Adalberto Costa Júnior, dated December 2021 and recently made public, confirms the expulsion of the militants, and the suspension for two years of José Pedro Cachiungo, former candidate for president of the party.
UNITA justified, on that occasion, the suspension of the militants because they "have not exhausted all internal resources" and resorted to the TC to challenge the meeting that approved the holding of the XIII Congress, held between 2 and 4 December, in Luanda, after the annulment of the 2019 conclave.
Liberty Chiyaka, who was speaking at a press conference in Luanda, recalled that those who adhere to the party "accept its statutes and regulations", referring that "expulsion is not an exclusive institute" of UNITA: "No way", he fired.
"The MPLA has the figure of expulsion, even the North American Democratic party also has the figure of expulsion, therefore, it is not a figure inherent to UNITA, all political parties have a hierarchy in terms of functions", he argued.
Asked if the expelled militants can apply for their reinstatement, the also UNITA deputy said that they "are free to do so, but they will have to meet a deadline".
"People are free to join and they are also free to give up, freedom is the first principle, if the expelled militants, at a certain time, decide to return, they are free to do so, but they have to meet a deadline", he concluded.
