African Democracy - Angola Votes!

by Jeffrey van Staden


Election time the world over is more often than not a time of tension and in Africa especially the threat of ethnic violence is ever present.

14 parties are taking part in this election, the first in the 16 years since the civil war. There are only 2 parties in with any chance really - the ruling MPLA and the opposition party, Unita. Hopes are high that this election will go off without incident, but already in the run up Unita has accused the MPLA for influencing state media and intimidating the public.

The success of this election will play a big role towards the success of next years presidential election. Should the MPLA win the election the current party leader, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, will continue his 30 year leadership of the country (He's been in power longer than Robert Mugabe).

So at the end of the day is it merely a farce? A one party race lead by a leader of 30 years. If you don't change you don't progress and if you keep doing what you've done you'll keep getting what you've gotten.

Maybe I am wrong, but that's not democracy, even if it comes off without violence - The tax payers keep paying, the good people keep struggling and the leaders keep , er, leading.