Luanda – The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, Wednesday appealed to the preservation of independence, peace and national reconciliation and discouraged any act of retaliation, following the vandalism of public and private property that occurred Monday in Luanda.
Speaking at the opening of the Council of Ministers meeting, the Angolan Head of State described the vandalism in Luanda as a “real act of terror.
The Angolan capital recorded acts of vandalism and violence, carried out by supposed members of taxi associations, which launched a three-day strike. The action ended with the destruction of several public and private assets.
President Lourenço said that the halt by a small number of taxis in Luanda was a pretext for political advantage, with a view to angering citizens who use this type of urban transport.
In his speech, President Lourenço said that Monday’s “acts of rebellion” pointed to the “materialisation of a macabre plan of ungovernability, through encouraging the vandalisation of public and private property.
Attempted subversion
For the Head of State, the incitement to violence and rebellion was an “attempt to subvert democratically established power”.
He pointed out that, due to the service that taxi drivers provide to the population, the Government went beyond their demands, authorising 100 per cent of the maximum capacity of the vehicles, when the requirement was 75 per cent.
National Police praised for its restraint
The President of the Republic praised the posture of the National Police, for having acted with restraint, as well as the private, singular and collective entities for having behaved as “true patriots, tolerant and responsible”.
“For future generations we have the responsibility of preserving for eternity the greatest achievements of the Angolan people, attained with much sacrifice over time: national independence, peace and national reconciliation,” he argued.
He said that the police forces were up to the challenge and would guarantee order and security for citizens, institutions and public and private property.
Guarantee of security for upcoming elections
In President Lourenço’s view, the general elections will take place in an environment of full security for voters and observers in August 2022, as established in the Constitution of the Republic.
He emphasised and endorsed the prompt manifestation of repulsion and public condemnation by Angolan society, through representatives of political parties, religious denominations, non-governmental organisations, journalists and opinion makers, having made it clear that, in Angola, the only possible and legitimate way to dispute political power is by democratic means.
Source: Angola Press News Agency