Angola opposition party diputes election results in court


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The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) has lodged an appeal with the constitutional court, following the decision of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to reject its request for cancellation of the legislative elections of 5 September in Luanda, legal sources confirmed.

The main opposition party in Angola 6 September filed a request for the elections cancellaton in Luanda for reasons related to breaches in the polls organisation .

However, the NEC rejected the request on the basis of absence of evidence based on the statements of the polling stations.

The judge adviser of the constitutional court, Miguel Correia, is “perplexed” with regards to the appeal, considering the fact that UNITA had publicly accepted the result of the elections and had wished that the winner, the Popular Liberation Movement of Angola (MPLA) rules in the interest of all Angolans.

Correia has considered that the request presented 11 September by the president of UNITA, Isaías Samukuva, was based upon the non-functioning of the electoral materials in the polling stations as well as the duration of the electoral process which has been extended over two days and these are irregularities.

He indicated that the constitutional court cannot consider the appeal without having, as a preliminary step, the opinion of the NEC, through which the call for cancellation presented by the UNITA was sent.

The magistrate said the constitutional court will discuss UNITA’s appeal with 72 hours. “If it decides in favour of UNITA, the voting process in Luanda will be cancelled and, in this context, another poll will take place, otherwise, the request for cancellation will remain without legal effect,” specified the court’s judge adviser.

The provisional results published by the NEC revealed that after 85,570 votes had been counted in the polling stations, the MPLA won the legislative elections with an absolute majority of 81.76 per cent, followed by UNITA with 10.33 per cent .

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