Guinea-Bissau president sacks newly-appointed PM
Image: Adalberto Costa Júnior on Facebook
The leader of Angola’s main political opposition said on Wednesday his party will join the country’s new parliament but vowed protests over the results of last month’s polls which he has disputed.
Adalberto Costa Junior, the leader of The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), also pledged to boycott President Joao Lourenco’s inauguration on Thursday.
Costa Junior used a media briefing to insist that his party’s electoral gains “demonstrated a clear will for a political alternative”.
UNITA made significant gains from the 2017 elections, securing 43.95 percent this time compared with 26.67 percent in the previous vote.
Angola’s top court last week dismissed UNITA’s challenge to the results of last month’s general elections, paving the way for Lourenco to be sworn in for a second term.
Opposition parties and civic groups had said the vote was marred by irregularities.
The constitutional court rejected the appeal saying the evidence presented “does not call the overall results into question”.
Costa Junior said his party would now concentrate its efforts on fighting local elections and improving its media image.
Lourenco will be sworn in for a second term on Thursday with security expected to be tight.
Costa Junior said that was a tactic to intimidate people who might seek to demonstrate against the election results.
UNITA proved popular among young voters seeking economic change.
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