For many of the Angolans heard by Lusa, the galloping rise in basic basket products and the "suffering and degradation" of the families' socioeconomic condition result from João Lourenço's "ineffectiveness".
In Luanda, the country's largest polling place, where the MPLA suffered a defeat for the first time and saw its rival UNITA take over the capital, the people criticize the failure to fulfill electoral promises almost a year after the elections that brought the President back to a second mandate.
"In fact, I don't see any change, the promises are not being fulfilled until today, the level of unemployment tends to increase every day and it's no use talking about the basic basket because everyone knows that things tend to get worse", said Soraia Chico, 34 years old.
For the unemployed young woman, the first year of João Lourenço's re-election has been marked by breaches of electoral promises: "For me, I don't see any change, all the promises given by him (President of the Republic) were all false".
"Because we, the people, are seen as a fundamental piece at the time of the elections, but after that we are discarded", she lamented, giving a negative note to the current government, which transformed Angola "into a house without a father".
"We're as if we don't have a leader, it's like a house without a father present, there's no order, we don't know where to go so we can get the answers we want as a people", he told Lusa, in Largo da Maianga, central Luanda. .
Gaspar Santos, 31, was on one of the crosswalks in that well-known square in the capital, lamenting a "static country with no improvements in sight".
Gaspar, who claims to be employed, argues that the President should be more selective in policies, investing in sectors such as education and health.
Today, Angola "is not walking", but rather "sinking", he observed, referring to one of the mottos of João Lourenço, who is also president of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, that he would "improve what is that is wrong", if he were President of the Republic.
With a copy of Jornal de Angola (the only daily publication in the country) in hand, while asking to have his shoes shined in Largo da Maianga, civil servant Fortunato Fernandes pointed out the lack of food as the "saddest part" of the current government, which it's still "good".
Speaking to Lusa, 43-year-old Fortunato Fernandes recalled, however, the "good start" of João Lourenço's first term, which he says contrasts with this period, considering that the head of state "should give more support to businessmen".
A third term for João Lourenço goes against the Constitution, which determines only two consecutive terms, it was also commented: "This will depend on the will of the population", he stressed.
For Fortunato, João Lourenço has some "bad advisors", especially figures in the current government, who also worked with former president, José Eduardo dos Santos.
President João Lourenço was re-elected on 24 August 2022 for a second five-year term, after winning, as head of the MPLA list.
In the area of Grafanil Bar, municipality of Viana, on the outskirts of Luanda, the "zungueiras", as the street vendors are known, have transformed the space into an open-air market and also echo concerns about rising food prices and shortages of life, asking the President to intervene.
With dozens of plastic bags on display on her bench, Teresa Matumona, a merchant in the square, told Lusa that the lives of Angolans "get worse day after day", giving as an example the increase in the price of rice, sold in 25-kilogram bags. .
"The country is worse off. A bag of rice at 20,000 kwanzas is for what?" -she questioned her.
Speaking alongside her trade colleagues, who applauded her intervention, Teresa said that business and life are going badly: "We are not holding on", he shot, criticizing what he considers the "inoperability" of the President, who says "being always lie to people".
"He's not doing anything, he's always lying to people, how long are we going to stay like this? It has to change, things have to go down, he (President of the Republic) said he's going to go down, but that's not happening, everything is wrong," he lamented.
Teresa Matumona stressed that complaints are widespread. "João Lourenço, what are you doing? People are suffering, if you can't take it, go and leave (the power), is that wrong, or are they waiting for us to start dying?".
Adélia Capequeno, a 22-year-old student, indicated the increase in prices of the basic food basket as one of the main "stains" in this first year of João Lourenço's re-election, also criticizing the current daily pressure from inspection agents on "zungueiras".
"In this first year of the new term there has been no improvement, I am not enjoying this term", stressed the student.
Improving the population's basic living conditions, with water, electricity, food and quality education, are still Soraia Chico's "priorities", if she were President.
