Mbanza kongo: President Joo Louren§o listened to the concerns of religious leaders, traditional authorities, youth representatives, and local businesspeople from Mbanza Kongo city, northern Zaire province, as part of the president's 48-hour working visit to the region that started on Thursday. During the meetings, participants presented concerns related to education, road rehabilitation, access to drinking water, electricity, fuel, housing, job creation, and financing for young entrepreneurs.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Head of State received in audience the provincial secretary of the Council of Christian Churches in Angola (CICA), Mayenzamene, who praised the President's gesture in decreeing national mourning for the victims of the political conflict of May 27, 1977. The religious leader stated that the initiative represented a message of forgiveness, national reconciliation, and strengthening of unity among Angolans.
Mayenzamene Garcia mentioned that the province's population primarily relies on manual agriculture, advocating for major investment in agricultural mechanization and improved roads to facilitate the flow of production. The religious leader also highlighted difficulties in road connections between Mbanza Kongo and the municipalities of Cuimba, N³qui, Soyo, Tomboco, and Nzeto.
Traditional authorities, represented by the guardian of the court of the Kingdom of Kongo, Afonso Mendes, discussed with the president the need to build the "Lumbo," a traditional space intended for meetings of the province's authorities. Afonso Mendes noted that the Head of State assured that the government would analyze the proposal.
Daniel Alberto, provincial executive secretary for youth in Zaire, presented concerns related to access to housing, job creation, and subsidized credit lines for young entrepreneurs. The hearings took place ahead of the first meeting of the local governance council, the central activity of the second and final day of the Head of State's working visit to Zaire province.
