ANGOLA: JOÃO LOURENÇO AND THE COMBAT TO CORRUPTION

General João Lourenço, candidate for the angolan presidency appointed by José Eduardo dos Santos is defending in his rallies the fight against corruption.

There is clear evidence that institutionalized corruption in Angolan governing bodies is perhaps the biggest problem Angola has experienced for many years. For those who are distracted, the words spoken by João Lourenço can mean signs of change, however, a well-informed person acknowledges there’s an endemic corruption in MPLA for a long time.

Recently, after a plea bargaining at the Car Wash operation (Brazil), an Angolan company named ORION (advertising and production agency) was identified as having received USD $ 15 million from the multinational Odebrecht in Angola. Not going into details, it was revealed that this figure would be part of a scheme set up to finance the MPLA in the 2012 election campaign.

According to the portuguese jurist Rui Verde, the organic law on general elections prevents Angolan political parties from receiving external funding. Thus we had illegal financing from a foreign company (Odebrecht) to MPLA, through a company in which João Lourenço has a share.

Therefore, Angola has a candidate that despite strongly enhancing fight against corruption, both his party and himself don’t seem to be a good example.

So, what practical actions can João Lourenço take in the fight against corruption. According to the jurist Rui Verde, he could start with these 5 simple measures:

- Remove the current Attorney General of the Republic, General João Maria de Sousa. Its ineffectiveness in the fight against corruption is appalling and we have already seen there are several people with the ability to carry out such a position.

- Create a special unit to combat corruption in the CIS (Criminal Investigation Service) with its own independent leadership.

- The consummation in Angola of investigations already carried out, or in progress abroad. Take for example, the aforementioned Odebrecht case.

- Commit to review the sons’ President participation on the great projects.

- Finally, even for ethic reasons, José Eduardo dos Santos’ sons should be removed from all non-elective public functions.

Obviously there are other measures to be taken, but if you start with these 5, ultimately one can observe signs of change.

João Dias - Senior Consultant