The party received 61% of votes cast during Wednesday’s ballot, the Angolan electoral commission said on Friday.

The opposition Unita party, which received 27%, disputes the commission’s count.

João Lourenço will take up the presidency, after an election marking the end of nearly four decades in power for President José Eduardo Dos Santos.

The electoral commission says 98% of the country’s votes have been counted.

However, voting in the election does not end until Saturday due to delays in getting the ballot papers to more than a dozen polling stations in remote areas.

But with the MPLA taking such a commanding lead, the outstanding ballots will not change the outcome.

Angola’s Casa-CE alliance party gained nearly 10% of the vote.

Angola is one of Africa’s largest oil producers, but it is struggling to recover from a 27-year-civil war between the MPLA and Unita and most people live in poverty.

Mr Lourenço, the former defence minister known as JLo, was the MPLA candidate to succeed Mr Dos Santos.

However Mr Dos Santos, whose 38-year reign makes him the world’s second-longest serving president, will remain in control of the party.

His children also still hold several key positions of authority.

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Source: BBC

The post Angola’s ruling MPLA wins parliamentary election appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos has been in power in the oil-rich country since 1979, making him the world’s second-longest serving president.

He is not contesting this election – Defence Minister Joao Lourenco is standing for the governing MPLA party.

His main challenger is expected to be Isias Samakuva, from the MPLA’s rival in the 27-year civil war, Unita.

Under Angola’s voting system, people are choosing both the candidate and party in the same election.

Analysts says the MPLA, which has been in power since independence from Portugal in 1975, is likely to win.

In the previous election, the Casa-CE alliance gained the third most seats. It is led by Abel Chivukuvuku, who split from Unita.
line break

Voters queued for the opening of polling stations this morning in Angola’s capital Luanda.

The elderly were let in first to decide who will replace President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

But young people have been telling the BBC that they want one thing – jobs. They blame what they refer to as simply “the crisis” for the lack of employment.

Critics of the government say rampant corruption means the country’s oil wealth did not spread beyond the ruling elite.

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Source: BBC

The post Angolans choose new leader to replace Jose Eduardo dos Santos appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.