The criticisms arose this Thursday during the debate on electoral transparency in the National Assembly, an initiative by the MPLA parliamentary group that also spared barbs to its main opponents, to whom it recommended that they prepare their party machines and avoid the "discourse of mistrust".
Franco Marcolino Nhani, deputy of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), stressed that electoral transparency is required not only during the electoral period, but also in the period before it "when the rules of the game are defined", criticizing what dubbed "covered public funding" of the ruling party, namely the use of automobiles, planes and other public resources that are used by holders of public office for party purposes during the pre-election and electoral period, in violation of the law.
"This discussion will only be useful if all those involved make a commitment to correct what is wrong in terms of electoral transparency and move from words to deeds", he shot.
He gave as an example the recent visits of President João Lourenço, also president of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and head of the party's list for the general elections scheduled for August 2022, to Cuando Cubango and Cunene, where "they ordered schools to close public, using fraudulent exercises or coercion".
"They used the exercise of the public function of the President of the Republic to force students and teachers to participate in party political activity", denounced the UNITA parliamentarian, adding that the inequalities and illicit advantages of the natural candidate for President are increasing as it has increased " arbitrarily" its effective election campaign period from 30 to more than 120 days.
"The president in office carries out all the inaugurations before the electoral campaign, transforming them into political act by campaign supporters, using resources and public officials and paralyzing the productive activity of the State", he criticized, saying that the electoral campaign activities "masked of public works" are acts that constitute a "gross violation" of the constitutional principles of electoral transparency.
The President of the Republic, who went to Cunene at the beginning of the month, started this Thursday a visit to Cabinda, where he will inaugurate a hospital and a maritime passenger terminal. On Saturday, already in the guise of MPLA leader, João Lourenço presides over a rally in what is the northernmost region of the country, where several independence movements demand self-determination.
Virgílio Tyova, from the MPLA, for his part, did not spare criticism of his rivals, saying that a serious leader "does not contest and condemn" the actions of State bodies and "does not request" the constitution of commissions to monitor the acts of the Commission National Electoral Commission since the functioning of this body is regulated by law, and this claim is "incoherent and surreal".
The same deputy also stressed that electoral transparency does not necessarily result from the presence of observers, arguing that in many countries with consolidated electoral processes, especially in Western countries, these do not exist, and the elections are not called into question.
"Political leaders need to prepare their machines and avoid discourse of distrust and lack of impartiality", he suggested, alluding to UNITA.
João Azevedo Martins, from the same party, said, in turn, that the Angolan electoral system is "one of the most transparent" in Africa.
Leonel Gomes, a deputy who is not part of any parliamentary group, welcomed the initiative of the proponents, but considered that it is not enough to look serious, you have to be serious, then pointing out several criticisms of the ruling party, in particular the National Elections Commission, whose president said it had been imposed forcefully.
Lindo Bernardo Tito, also not integrated, recalled that whenever there are elections, the debate on transparency is raised and it must be recognized that problems exist so that there can be solutions.
