Angola: Parliament rejects UNITA’s request to debate attack on party caravan in Huambo

The Angolan National Assembly on Thursday, June 19, dismissed a proposal from the UNITA parliamentary group seeking to hold a formal debate on the recent attack targeting one of its delegations in Galanga, Huambo province.

The assault, which occurred on June 11, has intensified political tensions in the region, following a related incident involving UNITA deputy Apolo Yakuvela, provincial secretary of Galo Negro in Huambo, who was attacked just a week earlier.

UNITA has accused the ruling MPLA party of orchestrating these attacks, citing political intolerance as the underlying cause.

However, the MPLA parliamentary group voted against the motion, with MP Milonga Bernardo explaining that “it is now up to the competent sovereign bodies to investigate the facts and determine whether or not there was political intolerance.”

Bernardo emphasized that while the MPLA expresses solidarity with all victims of violence in Angola, the National Assembly should refrain from drawing premature conclusions while investigations are ongoing.

The ruling party also criticized UNITA, accusing it of “acting without a sense of state and making gratuitous accusations.”

Political analyst Eurico Gonçalves interpreted the National Assembly’s rejection as an affirmation of the independence and balance between sovereign institutions.

He noted, “This decision reflects non-interference in the work of other branches of government, such as the Judiciary and the Executive.”

UNITA’s original proposal called for a formal condemnation of the attacks and an official expression of solidarity with those affected, framing the incidents as politically motivated acts of intolerance.

The refusal to debate the matter, however, signals Parliament’s reluctance to engage in what it views as unresolved and sensitive political disputes pending thorough investigation.

As Angola navigates ongoing political tensions, the handling of this case may set a precedent for how political violence and accusations between parties are addressed within the country’s governing bodies.