In a press conference, the promoters of the march - Dito Dali, Priscila Simão, José Gomes Hata, Laura Macedo and Hitler Samussuku - reported that the March 20 march is the fourth they have promoted, since the first held in October 2020, who asked for the resignation of Edeltrudes Costa, accused of crimes of corruption, in the form of influence peddling.
The revision of the Organic Law on the Organization and Functioning of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), as it does not guarantee the independence of this body and the requirement for the removal of the CNE president, "due to the fact that his appointment is the result of a fraudulent process" were also the motto of other marches carried out last year.
The organizers of the march regret that four months have passed since the last march - on November 11, 2020 - none of the claims have so far been met.
"Therefore, this passive stance that has been adopted by the decision-making bodies has a clear meaning for us: there is not, on the part of those who claim to be our representatives, nor on the part of those who claim to be our governors, the slightest consideration for the people who live daily the consequences of the current 'status quo' ", refer the promoters of the march.
According to the activists, the march is driven by the desire to see the suffering of Angolans alleviated and by the pretension of making the democratic institutions of the State fair, reason why they affirm themselves "compelled to go out again to the streets" to demand from the decision-making bodies the accomplishment of all your claims.
The streets are, in the opinion of the protesters, the legal place for the "battle, more efficient and more effective", to fight for their rights and their achievements.
This fourth march, which was communicated by letter to the Government of the province of Luanda, has the same objectives as the previous ones, the foundations of which are publicly known, but which they believe it is necessary to remember.
The demand for concrete public policies to reduce the cost of living for Angolans to the President and the timing of municipal elections for this year are also demanded by activists, who consider that their non-institutionalization not only constitutes an unconstitutionality by omission and by action, but also represents an obstacle to the country's growth and development.
"We understand that the institutionalization of local authorities is a matter of national interest, therefore, it must be taken with greater seriousness. Angolans cannot allow a political party to override their interest over the interest of the State. Therefore, the President of Republic has an obligation to comply with this constitutional commitment ", they refer.
Asked if there is any hope for the marking of the first municipal elections in Angola, the specific revision of the Constitution, proposed by the President of the Republic, which highlights the elimination of the principle of gradualism as a constitutional principle that guides the process of effective institutionalization of local authorities , activist José Gomes Hata considered that the Constitution was already clear in this respect.
"Basically, it is a false problem that arises, because from the moment that the debates on the implementation of the municipalities begin [talk] about the issue of geographical and functional gradualism and the Constitution is clear, it speaks of functional gradualism and how much to that we are in agreement, there was no need for constitutional revision in the aspect of the autarchies to change anything, because the Constitution is very clear ", he said.
According to José Gomes Hata, "only the ruling party with the intention of deceiving the least attentive will take this issue from the local authorities and shoot it like a banana peel, as if it were responding to the citizens' wishes".
In turn, activist Priscila Simão understands that the punctual revision of the Constitution should have been the first concern of the head of state, when he assumed the presidency of the country.
"A politician like João Lourenço, with the history of the country he is in, comes with a constitutional revision announcement on the verge of elections. This to me is an authentic manipulation, it doesn't smell good, it doesn't give me a bit of hope, for me there are more suspicions ", he commented.
The march has as its focal point the Santana cemetery, at 10 am, to depart at 12 pm towards Largo da Independência.
