The Angolan president has an advantage in the elections, according to preliminary data

First modification: 08/25/2022 – 14:42

For its part, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by the charismatic opposition leader Adalberto Costa Junior, obtained 33.85% of the votes, according to the commission.

But UNITA deputy chief Abel Chivukuvuku said his party has the upper hand in his own exit poll.

“Our polling stations (…) give us clear provisional indicators of a UNITA victory trend in all provinces,” he told a conference Wednesday night.

The counting of votes began after the polls closed on Wednesday, in what has been considered the closest dispute in the country’s democratic history.

The MPLA often has control of the electoral process and the state press, while opposition groups and civilians have raised concerns about vote-rigging.

The results of past elections have been disputed and the counting process can take weeks.

The election has been dominated by Angola’s multiple problems: a struggling economy, inflation, poverty and drought, compounded by the death of a heavy-handed former president.

More than 14 million people were registered to vote in the sprawling southern African country.

Lucas Quilundo, spokesman for the electoral commission, described the vote on Wednesday as “successful” and added that it was carried out “in an exemplary manner.”