2022: Angola's triple challenge in a fiercely contested election year

The consolidation of the democratic process, economic performance and national reconciliation are the challenges that Angola faces in 2022, according to the coordinator of OPSA, Sérgio Calundungo, who says they are a "triple mortal leap" due to its complexity.

"I think that we are now beginning to live in a pre-electoral period and, probably, we will have the most disputed elections ever since 1992 and, in processes like this, where everything indicates that the dispute will be fierce, the temptation to resort to low blow, even for things that undermine the democratic process, can be much greater", declared the head of OPSA.

"I understand that, for those in political positions, regardless of whether they are power or opposition, the first challenge will be to contribute to the consolidation of the democratic process," he highlighted.

The second challenge is, according to the coordinator of OPSA, of an economic nature: "The last four years in Angola were marked by a recession, by the poor performance of the economy, but, more than the performance of the economy, what What is concerned is the creation of an economic development model that is capable of responding to the needs and aspirations of the citizens".

Sérgio Calundungo said that a series of economic reforms had been tried, but whose effects were not yet felt.

"I'm one of those people who think that a good tree can be seen by its fruit, so we have to create a model of economic development", so that there are results, he explained.

The third and final challenge, from his perspective, is that of national reconciliation. "It is true that the armed conflict ended in 2002, but the political struggle, as it is being processed, clearly shows that reconciliation will take a little longer", said Sérgio Calundungo, praising the Angolan government for the steps taken in the with regard to the memory of victims of political conflicts, but asking for more speed in the processes.

"One thing that President João Lourenço achieved, and very well, was the advance of the reconciliation commission to the victims of the 27th of May and other conflicts in the country, allowing the burial of Jonas Savimbi and other legendary figures of UNITA, but it is I need to go further," he pointed out.

As for the electoral climate in 2022, he says there are signs that the next general elections will be the closest since 1992.

"This time we have a very strong opposition candidate, we have a society that has changed and matured a lot and therefore is more demanding, and then we have something that cannot be ignored, which are the economic and social challenges that have not been resolved and , obviously, this will be the subject of dispute in the electoral discourse. We have everything to have well-disputed elections", highlighted the coordinator of OPSA, also indicating less positive aspects.

"We will continue to witness inequality in access to media, especially information, among the various competitors in the electoral dispute. Old vices, such as the use of state information bodies, are still noticeable, and when the dispute is very fierce some, more desperately, can make use of this resource and I'm talking about people from various political persuasions," he continued.

For Sérgio Calundungo, politicians, on all sides, will be tempted to use "less fair measures and low blows or foul play to win the sympathy of the electorate."

For this reason, he admits that periods of social and political tension may arise. "Disputes for political power always generate some tensions, now the problem is what is the institutional capacity we have to deal with this and what is the capacity of our society to experience them and overcome these tensions that will naturally arise", declared the same responsible, hoping that "they do not evolve into conflicts with some violence or acts that are, clearly, contrary to the law".