Angola’s long-dominant party has won another five years in power, but with a much-reduced majority, the electoral commission has announced.
The electoral commission on Monday declared the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the winner of last week’s national election, handing President João Lourenço a second term.
Lourenço secured 51.2% and his closest rival, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola UNITA, had its best-ever result with 44%.
Less than half of Angola’s registered voters turned out for Wednesday’s election, which despite being the closest fought yet, will extend the rule of MPLA to beyond 50 years since independence from Portugal in 1975.
UNITA leader Adalberto Costa Junior has rejected the results, citing discrepancies between the commission’s count and the main opposition own tally.
Political watchers fear that dispute could spark mass street protests and possible violence among frustrated youth who voted for Junior.
The announcement came amidst heightened security, a day after the funeral of Angola’s long-serving ex-ruler and MPLA stalwart, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who died in Spain in July.
