"An institutional crisis in the country is very strong to say that, too strong," said João Lourenço, interviewed by French radio RFI, questioned about the situation in the national courts.
According to the President, due to the situation at the Court of Auditors, he preferred not to preside over the formal opening session of the judicial year, which started this Wednesday in Angola, as established in the Constitution of the Angolan Republic.
"The Constitution says that the President of the Republic gives a speech in this act, but given the latest events, namely the courts, the events that today [Wednesday] are already public, [...] I understand that while this matter is not resolved I should not preside over this solemn session of the opening of the judicial year", he said.
The head of state underlined that he was referring specifically to what is happening in the Court of Auditors, "so that other courts are not thought of".
"There is also talk of the Supreme Court, but with regard to the Supreme Court I must say that, as far as I know, there are allegations of possible crimes, but that for now nothing proves the involvement, so far, of the venerable presiding judge of the same court and we cannot act, nor I as head of state and much less the Public Ministry, cannot act only based on what is said on social networks", he highlighted.
According to João Lourenço, "the Public Prosecutor's Office is doing its job, but until it finds out anything concrete, injustices cannot be committed".
The resigning president of the Court of Auditors, Exalgina Gambôa, submitted her resignation on Wednesday to the President of the Republic with knowledge of the Superior Council of the Judiciary Magistracy, one day after being accused of crimes of extortion, embezzlement and corruption, in a process which also his son Hailé Vicente da Cruz, also accused.
On Monday, João Lourenço announced that he had invited Exalgina Gambôa to resign on February 21 due to various "occurrences" involving her, but the judge would only resign two days later, after asking for early retirement and having defendant was constituted.
In the interview, the President also spoke about the asset recovery process, as part of the fight against corruption, stating that "it is already considerable" and has served to invest in improving the social conditions of the population.
According to João Lourenço, the asset recovery process has been carried out for some time, but "unfortunately" the delivery is not taking place voluntarily, with few exceptions.
"The targeted persons, the assets they hold, are being coercively removed, by virtue of Angolan justice and beyond, in this regard we have to recognize the cooperation of other member states, other states where these assets are based, in Europe in particular ", he told RFI.
The President also said that it is the conclusion of the legislative package that has prevented the holding of the first local elections in Angola, and not the covid-19 pandemic.
"What has prevented or made it difficult to hold the local elections so far is not the pandemic [covid-19], it has nothing to do with the pandemic, the truth must be told, that the local authorities have not happened to date because the municipal legislative package is not concluded, the naked truth is just that, everything else that can be said is a lack of truth", said João Lourenço.
The head of state underlined that Angola is a democratic state of law and that "things have to be done based on the law". "The President of the Republic is not in a position to call municipal elections until we conclude this municipal legislative package. Now, it will be in 2023 or not, who knows", he underlined.
Angola had the year 2020 as an indicative date for holding the first municipal elections, but due to the covid-19 pandemic and because the municipal legislative package has not yet been completed, with 11 laws, ten of which have already been approved by the National Assembly, the same did not take effect.
João Lourenço, as candidate for President of the Republic of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), in the general elections of last August 24, committed to institutionalize the municipalities in 2023, in case of victory of the political organization he leads.
The process of implementation of the autarchies divides the Government and the opposition parties, as well as civil society, with the first defending gradual institutionalization and the other part that it occurs simultaneously in all municipalities.
The parliament still has to discuss and approve the proposal for the Institutionalization of Local Authorities Law, seen as the main diploma of the package.
