Liberty Chiaka, who was speaking at a press conference to review the verification visits that deputies from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) carried out to the country's 18 provinces, regretted that most provincial governors refused to receive delegations for courtesy greetings, with the exception of Cunene, Huambo, Cuanza Sul and Namibe.
Like most provincial governors, added the deputy, police commanders, municipal administrators, directors of hospitals, schools, did not receive UNITA deputies.
According to Liberty Chiaka, the visits also served to listen to citizens regarding the proposed new political-administrative division.
The deputy stressed that, from 164 to 581 municipalities, Angola would be the first and only country in the world without entities inferior to municipalities, questioning which base criterion was used.
"Whether there are 164 municipalities, 581 municipalities, even if there are 1800 municipalities or 18,000 municipalities, it has to be 581 municipalities or 18,000 municipalities, this is our decision. Attention, do not come with the argument, as we had to make the division, increase the municipalities, the municipalities are for the year 2075, when Angola completes 100 years of independence, no, negative", he expressed.
Liberty Chiaka underlined that the Constitution stipulates that autarchies are organized in municipalities, and may be at the supra-municipal and also infra-municipal level.
"Let's start with the 164 municipalities that already exist, if later we have the need to create other municipalities, let the base be those that already exist", he stressed.
The leader of the parliamentary group of the largest opposition party reinforced that this is UNITA's position, hoping that the proposal for a new political-administrative division "is not an expedient to continue to postpone the process of municipalities".
According to Liberty Chiaka, the findings in the 18 provinces will be consolidated in a report, which will be sent to the competent authorities, with contributions, to improve the social and economic condition of the citizens.
Angola had the year 2020 as an indicative date for holding the first municipal elections, but due to the covid-19 pandemic and because the municipal legislative package, with 11 laws, of which 10 have already been approved by the National Assembly, has not yet been concluded. effected.
The President, João Lourenço, as candidate for President of the Republic of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), in the general elections of 24 August, committed to institutionalize the municipalities in 2023, in case of victory of the political organization he leads.
In October of this year, the head of state said, in statements to the press in Dakar, Senegal, that while conditions have not been created he will not "hastily" call local elections, stressing that the local legislative package has not been completed.
"When there are conditions. As you know, the municipal legislative package is not finished. In the meantime I can't shamelessly – if you'll allow the expression – call elections", replied João Lourenço to Radio France Internationale.
The process of implementation of the autarchies divides the Government and the opposition parties, as well as civil society, with the first defending gradual institutionalization and the other part that it occurs simultaneously in all municipalities.
Parliament still has to discuss and approve the proposal for the Institutionalization of Local Authorities Law, seen as the main diploma of the legislative package.
