Luanda: Angolan lawmaker Fernanda Filomena dos Santos was laid to rest on Tuesday at the municipal cemetery in Humpata, located in the central Huila province. Her burial followed her passing on September 5 due to an illness.
According to Angola Press News Agency, dos Santos, aged 45, succumbed to cervical cancer at the Lubango Central Hospital. Earlier in the year, she had undergone medical treatment in Namibia. Her funeral was attended by prominent political figures, including Americo Cunonoca, the First Vice President of the National Assembly, Huila governor Nuno Mahapi, fellow legislators, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Tributes poured in from across the political landscape. Both the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) acknowledged her commitment to public service and her efforts in bridging political differences.
Born in Humpata in 1980, dos Santos had a background in education, holding a master's degree in Portuguese language methodology. She began her career with the Ministry of Education in 2007, serving as a school principal before transitioning to national politics. Dos Santos became a Member of Parliament in September 2022 and served on the Assembly's standing committee for health, education, and science until her passing.
