The leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Adalberto Costa Júnior, visited the provinces of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Moxico between the 1st and 10th of this month, visiting 15 municipalities and maintaining contact with the governors of Lunda Sul and Moxico and the archbishop and bishop of Saurimo (Lunda Sul) and Luena (Moxico), Dom Imbamba and Dom Martin, respectively.
In a press conference to assess the visit, UNITA's secretary-general, Álvaro Daniel, said that the problem of hunger in the eastern region is widespread, and that it is therefore “important that the Government has the courage” to view it as a “national emergency” and invite society, businesspeople and the international community to study the focal areas and resolve the problem.
Álvaro Daniel considered that the policy adopted by the Government, through Kwenda, a direct income transfer program for families in vulnerable situations, is not a "formula that will actually solve the problem of hunger”.
“On the contrary, in some cases, families relax, expecting this support from the State. The important thing would be not to give fish to those who are hungry, but to teach them how to fish so that they do not have to ask for it again”, he said.
In addition to hunger and poverty, the UNITA delegation also heard complaints about mistreatment in diamond mining areas, places characterized by “a jungle environment, where the life of others has no value for those who have the interest and the power to exploit human strength as labor”.
“There are reports of murders and torture of citizens by security companies, usually linked to people in the nomenclature”, stressed the UNITA secretary general, also denouncing criminal actions, which end in homicides for the “usurpation of the victims’ mines, whose lands are potential or hypothetical mines”.
According to the politician, there are also difficulties on the roads that connect the provincial capitals and the municipalities, due to “the precarious state or lack of communication routes”, and there are also complaints regarding the failure to allocate a percentage of diamond production for investment in local communities.
Álvaro Daniel said that problems with unemployment, especially among young people, the considerable number of children not attending school and absenteeism due to a lack of teachers in the communities, the lack of identity cards for a significant number of national citizens of voting age, medicines and budget for the operation of administrative services in public hospitals were also reported.
“These and other factors justify the high levels of dissatisfaction and rejection of João Lourenço’s government, as well as the popular demonstrations in favor of a change and democratic change of regime”, he stressed, giving “positive marks to the work carried out on National Highway 230”.
Álvaro Daniel stated that, in order to respond to some of the concerns of the populations visited, the UNITA parliamentary group will take some legislative initiatives and submit them to the National Assembly.
The UNITA secretary-general said that the party will celebrate its 59 years of existence with moments of reflection on its participation in the struggle for national independence. According to Álvaro Daniel, the celebrations will take place under the motto "UNITA, 59 years – for Independence and Freedom, National Unity and Alternation of Power".
The leader said that the main event will take place in Lobito, Benguela province, on the coast of the country, on the 15th of this month and will bring together members, friends and supporters of the party, as well as foreign guests, friends of UNITA.
