After his 61 percent win in the August 23 general election polls, the 63 year old Angola’s former Defense Minister, Joao Lorenco has lived to be sworn in as Angola’s new president after Jose Eduardo dos Santos.
The now former Angolan President, Jose Eduardo dos Santos announced the surprising news of him not appearing on the ballot paper any more, early this year. He decided to resign and offer a chance to others to do what they can for the country, hand picking Joao Lorenco as his successor.
Lorenco and Eduardo are from the same ruling party, and Eduardo will still be the ruling party’s (The People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola) chairperson despite his not being the country’s president.
The inauguration ceremony took place Tuesday 26 September, 2017, morning, and was attended by several heads of state, with Jose Eduardo welcoming and handing over power to his successor in to the presidential seat.
Jacob Zuma, the President of South Africa, Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, Edgar Lungu, the President of Zambia among other heads of state, attended Lorenco’s inauguration ceremony that was held at Luanda, the capital of Angola.
During his inaugural speech, Joao Lorenco promised to see to the end of the country’s poverty and job shortage.
“Employment, poverty alleviation, promotion of job opportunities and business policies will be implemented,” said Joao Lorenco, the new Angolan President.
His Vice President Bornito de Sousa was also inaugurated into the office during the ceremony.
Earlier during the campaigning period, Angola’s main opposition party, UNITA, insinuated possibilities of Lorenco to will be a ‘puppet president’, since Eduardo would still be the ruling party’s chairperson, therefore they foresaw that Lorenco would still be under Eduardo literally, and leading the country by Eduardo’s tunes.
Lorenco in his defense promised that he will not be as the opposition party thinks he will be.
“I will have all the powers, this country will not have two presidents at ago,” Lorenco said defending himself.
Despite his 61 percent polls win, opposition parties boycotted his inauguration with claims that there were some ‘irregularities and illegalities’ carried out during the election and saw Lorenco to the seat.
Amidst all claims, Angola’s electoral commission together with the international observers cleared the media that all claims by the opposition parties are forged.
Joao Lorenco is the third president according to the Angola history, succeeding Jose Eduardo dos Santos who has led the country for 38 years, who also took power succeeding Antonio Agostinho Neto, after his death.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu
