"Political violence is not uncommon in Angola and there has been a noticeable increase in anti-government protests and unrest since 2020," analysts write in a commentary on Saturday's clashes in Sanza Pombo, Uige, between supporters of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA, in power) and the main opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
"In Sanza Pombo, the security forces seem to have chosen a side and this is likely to happen elsewhere, as the line between party and state is often blurred in Angola; the João Lourenço government will likely use and abuse state resources to guarantee victory, and opposition parties will have difficulties campaigning", reads the comment sent to customers, and which Lusa had access to.
In the analysis, Oxford Economics Africa says that "discontent has been directed at the MPLA several times, most recently in Luanda, on 10 January, when an MPLA delegation in the capital was vandalized during a taxi driver protest", so, with the August elections approaching and the increase in campaign activities, "increases the possibility of clashes between rival supporters".
President João Lourenço is expected to win the presidential elections in August, according to the forecast of these analysts, who also estimate that the MPLA will retain a majority in the National Assembly, despite "the opposition must capitalize on popular discontent and with that it may erode the dominance of the ruling party".
This consultancy's analysis comes the day after the MPLA assigned responsibility for the clashes to UNITA.
"A picture is worth a thousand words. This has always been the behavior of UNITA gentlemen. Look at the history and see whose behavior this is. The videos are more than evident", replied the MPLA spokesman, Rui Falcão, to Lusa, urged to comment on the UNITA version, which blames the militants of the ruling party for the aggressions.
"The only comment that deserves us is our solidarity with the victims and the appeal to the police authorities to arrest the perpetrators of such a crime and send them, as quickly as possible, to the courts. Whoever they are, including the moral authors", added the MPLA leader on Tuesday.
UNITA had denounced on Tuesday, at a press conference in Luanda, the existence of "state terrorism and arbitrary arrests" of 35 party militants, following the conflicts.
The alleged arbitrary arrests of militants from the largest opposition party, arise in the context of clashes, recorded last Saturday, allegedly with MPLA militants.
According to UNITA's secretary general, Álvaro Chikwamanga Daniel, the incidents recorded on Saturday, in Sanza Pombo, originated within MPLA militants who "tried to derail" an act to celebrate the 56th anniversary of their party.
Images circulated on social media depicting the incidents in Sanza Pombo, which also resulted in injuries and the vandalism of the municipal station Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA).
The provincial secretary of UNITA in Uíje, Félix Simão Lucas, presented, on the occasion, photographs depicting the confrontation on Saturday, with some injuries and material damage, referring that the MPLA overlapped the UNITA act, previously communicated to the authorities.
Félix Simão Lucas reported that the attacks on UNITA militants, allegedly carried out by members of the MPLA, began at the entrance to the municipality of Sanza Pombo, with barricades on the roads, and in the surrounding villages where militants from his party were allegedly stoned.
