João Lourenço participated, over more than four hours in a meeting in Luanda with representatives of youth, including activists of the so-called revolutionary movement, known as "revus".
Among them was Afonso Matias, also called Mbanza Hamza, a civic activist and one of the members of the "15 + 2" process, young people convicted in 2016 for the crimes of preparatory acts for the practice of rebellion and attack on the then President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, who exposed the concerns of youth to João Lourenço.
"We are the activists, the 'revus', we are known as those who only complain and do not want to talk, but today we are here," said Hamza, admitting that there was no consensus in the movement regarding the presence at the meeting called by João Lourenço .
Mbanza Hamza focused on problems such as hunger and partisanship in the country and stressed that the current parties, such as the MPLA, in power for more than four decades, but also opposition forces such as the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), have outdated software.
"The fight they were ready for has already taken place, the MPLA has already fulfilled its role, as well as the others, and by now they should be resting", challenged Hamza, stressing that what moves the activists is the same that moves the executive : "We are all patriots and we all want a better country".
In a highly applauded speech, Mbanza Hamza welcomed the fact that, for the first time, the executive addressed the death of Inocêncio de Matos, a young man who died in a demonstration on November 11, and who saw a minute of silence in his memory. at the beginning of the meeting, telling the President that he would have liked to have heard his name.
"We are still not tired, we still have two more years and we only have one entity that can send us to rest, which are the voters", João Lourenço replied to the "revu", asking him if he would be prepared to replace the MPLA, to which Mbanza Hamza replied in the affirmative.
"You have to prove that you are better than the MPLA and win, but until you get there you have to walk a lot", replied the head of state who, during the long conversation, maintained relaxed moments and sometimes in a personal aspect, talking about his childhood and youth, his family and his connection to the countryside, as he owns a farm about 300 kilometers from Luanda.
Another activist, Jaime MC, who spoke about the persecution of journalists, João Lourenço asked for specific cases to be pointed out to him and considered that there has never been so much freedom of expression as today.
"Political leaders have never been spoken of as badly as they are today," said the President, noting that even death threats are made.
"You invented an expression: 'In 2022, you will like it', that expression is not mine, it is yours, so we are waiting," said João Lourenço, in a challenge to the activists present and resuming the 'slogan' that they popularized for appeal to the MPLA's defeat in the next elections, scheduled for 2022.
Among the more than one hundred young people present, representing diverse, political organizations, associations, artists and activists, 21 were entitled to directly express their concerns to the President of the Republic.
Topics such as employment and entrepreneurship, hunger, the problems of taxi drivers, housing, discrimination against women, municipal elections, the lack of funding from schools and universities, the lack of support and difficulties of the disabled and environmental issues were addressed. .
