After the
exoneration of Isabel dos Santos from the Sonangol administration (the “golden
egg” according to President João Lourenço (JL), it seems that several heralds
of Angolan and Portuguese democracy have left their "hole", having
extolled and highlighted the act of the President.
This act was the
culmination of a cleaning process that JL is carrying out at the main public
companies of Angola – especially economic, natural resources and media level. At
this point, the fight against corruption that he has so much praised during the
presidential campaign seems to be under way.
However, we should
not celebrate, as if Angola was already taking the path of a true democracy and
entering the path of progress. It is true that the early months of JL seem to
be promising, having sought to demarcate from the political line of its
predecessor José Eduardo dos Santos (JES), targeting public business
administrations that were controlled by JES’ friends and family and
demonstrating unprecedented skills at this political level.
Yet, first we need
to know if this new context of Angolan politics is not merely a reinforcement
of the president's power. JES when it assumed the presidency of Angola also got
rid of some elements annoying for the exercise of his power. Then we all know
what happened. Moreover, only if JES is considerably weakened will he not react
with the strength to the several insults JL has done to him since he assumed
the presidency. JES is still the President of the MPLA, the ruling party which
seems being in turmoil.
Although JL is
well acquainted with the military because of his past and apparently having
them under his control, one can’t help but be apprehensive about the fact the
president is being surrounded in most situations by former supporters and
allies of JES, which reveals human nature at its very worst.
In these first
months of JL's term the winds of change seem to be blowing. However, it is too
early to really gauge their true intentions. Will the Angolan society finally
enter an era of freedom and progress towards a true Rule of Law, or are we simply
witnessing a mere change of leadership and control of the state's key posts to
secure the power of JL within a framework of disguised authoritarianism, which
in fact is what has always been present in Angola?
We will have to
wait for the next chapters, but more than that, we should be more than ever
aware to what is coming.
João Dias - Senior Consultant, Professor of
International Relations
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