Elections continue to elude hopeful Angolans

Angola appears to be in no hurry to hold its first elections in more than a decade, political observers commented, but many voters are hoping that casting their ballot will translate into improved living standards.

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos last week explicitly referred to 2008 as the year legislative elections would be held, with a presidential ballot to follow in 2009. Last year, officials had hinted at holding the presidential and parliamentary polls in 2007.

Despite the logistical hurdles of holding an election in a country still struggling to pick up the pieces after a drawn-out civil war, experts said Angola could be ready in time. The conflict ended in April 2002, leaving battered roads and bridges, and an ailing communications network. Many people do not have personal identification documents and there has been no national census since the early 1970s.

"Elections can be organised, even with these kinds of logistical problems, within two years. And they've already had longer than that. It is absolutely feasible to have an election, even with the rainy season, by the middle of next year," said Barbara Smith, director of elections programming at the National Democratic Institute, a US-based nongovernmental organisation (NGO).

Angola's last presidential and national assembly elections were held in 1992 but the second round of presidential voting did not take place because the government and then rebel movement UNITA returned to war.

Since then, the date for a ballot has repeatedly been delayed and many people question the government's willingness to hold elections in the near future. As one foreign resident commented, "The joke in town is that elections are always two years away."

Voters were able to register from November to December 2006, and registration began again in January and will run until June, so concrete steps were being taken to organise elections, analysts acknowledged.

Isolated glitches have been experienced with the high-tech equipment being used to register an estimated 7.5 million eligible voters, but more hold-ups are expected as officials move into more remote areas, where challenges such as electricity supplies are even greater.

Most criticisms of the perceived reticence to hold a vote have been levelled at the ruling MPLA party, led by Dos Santos, who has been in power since 1979. There is little doubt that the MPLA will win the elections, but the stakes are high and political analysts said more stalling could also suit the opposition.

"I haven't heard a huge outcry from [opposition party] UNITA or anyone else. Have you?" asked an analyst, rhetorically. "It is not surprising, as it is a winner-takes-all election. The MPLA need a two-thirds majority in parliament to push through the constitution of their will; UNITA hold certain ministries and other posts, which they would lose if they lose the elections."

After the violence that followed the 1992 elections, voting came to be associated with war, so going back to the polls is also a test for the electorate.

"There was such an amazing amount of optimism and hope connected to the elections in 1992; they resulted in such violence that many people mistrust the process," said Allan Cain, who has lived in Angola for over 20 years and runs the Development Workshop, an NGO working to improve the living conditions and livelihoods of the poor.

"In the Planalto [the central highlands] there has been a lot of apprehension about the elections. We hope this can be alleviated through civic education and conflict resolution. I think the involvement of civil society partners and churches is important," he added.

Smith said confidence in the electoral process was starting to rebuild. "Today, people are expectant, they want elections. The longer you get into peace, the more the peace takes hold, the more people don't believe there's going to be a return to violence."

Holding a national ballot in peacetime is seen as a key step to establishing democracy and encouraging political leaders to be more accountable to ordinary Angolans.

Opposition parties have complained of difficulties in registering their election observers, and say officials at registration centres have not been forthcoming with information.

UNITA claims that violence has increased since the start of the registration process, alleging that their party offices and flags have been targeted, and a supporter killed.

"The violence isn't against our observers, but we're seeing increased political intolerance and violence against our members, committed by people linked to the youth wing of the MPLA," alleged Leonel Gomes, UNITA's secretary for electoral affairs. "The police doesn't do anything to stop it."

MPLA spokesman Kwata Kanawa said he could not comment on claims that a UNITA supporter was killed without further details, but said the political climate was calm and the electoral process was going well.

"There's no problem with the process. UNITA is just looking for a way to escape their internal problems," he said. "All political parties are involved, as well as representatives of the government and civil society."

The delay in holding the elections has not hampered oil-rich Angola from enjoying rapid economic growth, fuelled by high crude prices and growing production. But despite its wealth, most citizens live on less than $2 a day, and one in four children do not make it to their fifth birthday.

Amid the struggle to survive, many Angolans see elections as their opportunity to vote for a better life.

"Now that there is peace, I hope we can choose a good candidate so that maybe things can get better," said Avelino Martins, 21, a student and construction worker, after registering at a centre in the capital, Luanda. "I hope to see new homes built for people who don't have them, and more development, more peace."

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