"I am an elected deputy, it is one thing to be an elected deputy and another thing to be guaranteed to be here on Friday [the day of the investiture ceremony of the 220 deputies]. We will do our best to be here on Friday", stated.
Justino Pinto de Andrade, politician of the Democratic Bloc, was the fourth figure on the candidacy list of the National Union for the Independence of Angola (UNITA), within the framework of the United Patriotic Front, in the general elections of 24 August.
The politician who was elected to the fifth legislature and will represent UNITA participated this Tuesday in the process of welcoming and initiating the deputies of the new legislature, one of the few UNITA members who was present at the act that takes place in the noble hall of the National Assembly.
According to the deputy, who said he did not talk about politics on Tuesday, but only on Friday, and argued for not commenting on whether the elected UNITA deputies should take office, he only valued the process of welcoming and initiating parliamentarians.
UNITA said on Monday that it is considering taking office in parliament, considering that its definitive position will aim at safeguarding peace and consolidating democracy, while other opposition parties are divided.
According to the spokesperson for UNITA, which won 90 seats in parliament, in the August 24 general elections, the party is evaluating all scenarios, not ruling out, however, the inauguration.
"We are talking about all these issues, about the various possible scenarios and it is a dichotomy between taking [ownership] or not. The discussion is around these two approaches and I think that only on Wednesday will we be able to come up with property and say what we will do", Marcial Dachala told Lusa.
Justino Pinto de Andrade participated in the process of welcoming and initiating the deputies of the fifth legislature, a kind of internal registry, signaling that UNITA, which contests the electoral results, must take its seat in parliament.
Asked about the expectations of the new government, led by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Pinto de Andrade sent the answer to the next government officials.
"Whoever is going to govern knows what they should do, I am not a ruler, but governance is not just the government, governance is broad, parliament is an important state institution in the running of the country, let's wait", he shot.
The process of welcoming and initiating the deputies runs until Wednesday and according to the outgoing secretary general of the parliament, Agostinho Pedro de Neri, the act is "mandatory".
The Constitutional Court proclaimed the MPLA and its candidate, João Lourenço, as winners with 51.17 percent of the votes, followed by UNITA with 43.95 percent, having failed UNITA's electoral dispute appeal.
With these results, the MPLA elected 124 deputies and UNITA 90 deputies, almost double the 2017 elections.
In view of the electoral results, the MPLA must also appoint two vice-presidents and two secretaries of the National Assembly and, in the same proportion, the UNITA party.
The Social Renewal Party (PRS), the National Front for the Total Independence of Angola (FNLA) and the debuting Humanist Party of Angola (PHA) each elect two deputies.
The CASA-CE coalition, the National Patriotic Alliance (APN) and P-Njango did not obtain seats in the National Assembly, which in the 2022-2027 legislature will have 220 deputies.
João Lourenço, re-elected President for the next five years, takes office on Thursday, followed by the elected deputies.
