Angola

Parties swap accusations ahead of poll

Article published on the 2008-09-05 Latest update 2008-09-10 07:54 TU

Voters queue up in Luanda.
(Photo : AFP)

The parliamentary election is largely a race between the governing MPLA and the rival Unita party and follows a month-long campaign marked by opposition allegations of intimidation and bias. Representatives from both parties spoke to RFI about their views on the matter.

 

In the run-up to the poll, Unita accused the MPLA of using state funds for its campaign and the state-run media to publicise its cause. It also said its supporters had been harassed, a charge backed by US-based Human Rights Watch.

The government has denied any electoral wrongdoing.

Jardo Muekalia, Deputy External Relations Secretary of Unita told RFI that whilst the elections are a positive thing for Angola, the voting system has been chaotic.

"There are things right now, like a very serious delay in the publication of the voter rolls as well as the maps containing the locations of the polling stations."

"We only had it published nine days before the elections and that may I'm afraid create a certain confusion, chaos on the election day, because most citizens will not know where they are supposed to vote," he said.

 

Meanwhile Fragaata De Morais, the Campaign Secretary of the ruling MPLA party, said he is confident they will succeed and has denied electoral wrongdoing.

"We are aiming at having about two thirds majority in the national assembly, so we can really put forward our manifesto...we are sure that they are going to give us the OK to keep on applying our programme."

"The opposition has really nothing to present or show for their work so of course then they have to try to create political facts for the last couple of days...that's a total lie," he said.