The other opposition parties with a parliamentary seat, namely the FNLA, PRS and PHA, were not present, yesterday, at the act that initiated the legal-legislative process, which aims to remove the President of the Republic, in an initiative of the Parliamentary Group of the UNITA
The initiative process for the Impeachment and Removal of the President of the Republic carried out by UNITA, which started yesterday in Luanda, was achieved with the subscription of more than a third of the deputies belonging to the UNITA Parliamentary Group, but was marked by the absence of the rest of the opposition with parliamentary representation. With this step, UNITA intends to make its intention known to the National Assembly, as it managed to get the signatures of 87 deputies, out of the 90 that its Parliamentary Group sustains, which represents more than a third of what is needed, which would be just 73 signatures.
However, the process for its deliberation and consequent approval requires a two-thirds majority, which corresponds to 147 favorable votes, to subsequently follow the discussion in an extraordinary plenary. If approved, the reasons listed must be presented to the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, for criminal and constitutional proceedings, respectively.
To achieve that quorum in a secret ballot, UNITA will need 57 deputies, including those from the majority party, which should be 51 and if possible from the Mixed Parliamentary Group PRS-FNLA and the PHA Parliamentary Representation, which allegedly should not be allied with the initiative of the UNITA for not being present at the first public event for that purpose. Speaking to OPAÍS, analyst Albino Pakisi downplayed this scenario, and for him the first step was taken with winning over a third of the deputies in office, so the next step in which the vote is secret is probably the can be reversed.
“In addition to being a political fact, UNITA really wants to reinforce its initiative. Essentially, even if the process does not degenerate into dismissal, at least it leaves a warning that there is no open road for the President to do as he pleases, and this entity must serve the country”, he highlighted. The academic also highlighted the need for politicians to respect the Constitution and the people, this initiative being a mark that remains as a strong sign of the united opposition as the United Patriotic Front, a force that, however, is not officially registered in the Constitutional Court.
Regarding the reasons for dismissal presented by UNITA, Albino Pakisi considers that they justify depending on the point of view in which each one is positioned. Well, those who are on the side of those who govern, in this case the MPLA, understand the effort that is being made on their side, but in the opposite direction understands that what is not being done should be done, thus being subjective and not objective. In turn, the journalist Severino Carlos highlighted that with this act “the carmo and the trinity will not fall”, because its final result does not matter so much, but a stronger democracy will emerge, being certain that a lot can change in the mindset of politicians , including those representing power.
Regarding the two-thirds required to satisfy the proponent, Severino Carlos is skeptical, but he points out: “this is a historic process. Nothing will be like before in the country’s political history. It doesn’t matter what color each party represents, but each one of them draws lessons from this. Something has to change. For the better, certainly yes”, maintained the former staff of the then Semanário Angolense.
FPU
The leaders of the political parties and of the PRA JA Servir Angola project, which form the United Patriotic Front (FPU), joined by UNITA, were unanimous in stating that this process is not uncommon in the world, as in other geographies, so it is not it is not about a coup d’état, but the fulfillment of a constitutional imperative endorsed by the ruling party, MPLA. The UNITA president defended that citizens should know their rights and duties. Including the right that, through their representatives elected in the National Assembly to defend their interests, they may, in certain circumstances considered burdensome for the State, remove the President of the Republic.
Reasons for dismissal
The reasons that led to this dismissal process are supported by UNITA, through article 129 of the Constitution of the Republic of Angola, according to which the President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço, among other alleged violations of the law, violated the law- magna who swore to fulfill and enforce, in addition to his alleged involvement in crimes of bribery, embezzlement, undermining the rule of law and democracy and the regular functioning of institutions. UNITA also accuses the President of the Republic of interfering in the judiciary, in the public media, in the annulment of the XIII Congress of Galo Negro to remove Costa Júnior from the electoral dispute.
He eventually paid 100 million Kwanzas to each judge on the eve of the 2022 elections, among other accusations without, however, having shown evidence. It should be noted that UNITA lost again to the MPLA in the general elections on 24 August, but managed to strengthen its Parliamentary Group by winning 90 deputies with the support of other political forces that came together to defeat the main opponent.
