Adalberto Costa Júnior welcomes the support of young people and backgrounds in the campaign for UNITA's leadership

Speaking to Lusa, one day after launching his campaign for the leadership of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), at the XIII Congress, which takes place from December 2 to 4, Aldalberto da Costa Júnior said he was "very satisfied" for the support.

"We did launch the campaign, fortunately it was full and vibrant, a lot of youth, but also many testimonies of the elders with history made over these decades, because it was with great satisfaction that I saw the presence of a generation of founders of the party of the 50s, 60s, 70s", he said.

The politician, who headed UNITA for the past two years, after being elected in 2019 during the XIII Congress, was recently removed from the party's leadership following a ruling by the Constitutional Court (TC) that annulled all the conclave's deliberations, a situation that forced the return of the previous president, Isaias Samakuva.

The campaign for next December's congress began on Wednesday and Adalberto Costa Júnior, the only candidate, says he is satisfied with the adhesion and support of his party's historical figures, young people, members of civil society who have expressed "very strong testimonies".

"A second generation, at the time of the accession of independence, making very strong testimonies, but also the last generation of 2002/03, with several interventions and I was delighted by the vibrant presence of the party that was in force with beautiful songs for me," he stressed.

In the formal act of launching the campaign of Adalberto da Costa Júnior, which took place in the Sovismo complex, municipality of Viana, in Luanda, the absence of the current transition president, Isaias Samakuva, was highlighted, which for the candidate is not a reason for concern, considering that this "very likely wanted to give the idea of ​​some exemption".

"Because we are going to have a voting action, even with a single candidacy, despite the fact that against my will we don't have other candidates, and what UNITA has been doing has been to provide freedom of speech," he underlined.

The "vibrant opening" of the act, with the presence of Angolan singer and composer Eduardo Paim, was also praised by the candidate, especially hailing the musician's "courage" "in a country that unfortunately is so far from plurality and the rule of law ".

Adalberto da Costa Júnior, who also expressed satisfaction at the weight of the presence of members of other opposition parties and religious leaders, said he was encouraged, but regretted the "daily attacks" on the democratic state "which has been brought down every day. in acts, in the use of institutions, in the attempt to choose political opponents".

The XIII UNITA Congress takes place on December 2, 3 and 4 in Luanda, with a single candidacy. Pedro Mulemba, a UNITA activist, expressed his intention to run for office, but did not formalize his candidacy as he did not meet the necessary requirements.

Adalberto Costa Júnior considered that the ruling of the TC, which removed him from the leadership of UNITA, had consequences for the image of João Lourenço, guaranteeing that he was "solid" in his candidacy and that he was taking "safe steps in the scrupulous compliance with the Law".

"What I can reaffirm to you is the scrupulous compliance with the Law, the statutes at the domestic level and absolutely sure that we are taking steps within the Law and the options of the State are not up to me to make them", he stressed. "But I'm solid that other acts will have huge exposure consequences," he noted.

The candidate also criticized what he called the "abusive use of the State" of justice institutions, the intelligence services, "of having institutions of extreme illegality operating in the presidency of the Republic, paid for with public money, to fight political opposition" .

According to the deputy, no space of independence of opinion in Angola applauded the ruling of the TC, stating that it was only because of an insistence on the way of dialogue that it prevented his party from filing lawsuits with the judicial instance.

"Because although this court has shown the fact that it is absolutely instrumental, it does not fail to put pressure on its own acts, note that it was not UNITA who dismantled the judgment, it was university professors, Angolan universities, great lawyers and constitutionalists," he stressed.

UNITA, as an institution "which feels extremely penalized for violations of its law, the Constitution, also needs to ensure in the future that we have to walk within the framework of the laws, within the space of protection, equality and universality that are not fulfilled today" , finished off.