Elections2022: Politicians and religious groups pray for elections

 Lobito - Several religious denominations and political parties prayed Sunday, in Benguela Province, in favour of peaceful elections on August 24.

In an ecumenical service, an initiative of the Provincial Commission of Churches for Benguela Province (COPIEB), the religious people pledged to work with all political parties, civil society and the government that will emerge from the upcoming elections, for the welfare of the people, its coordinator, pastor Higino Jorge said.

 

"We are in a phase in which each one wishes that the candidate of his party wins, but in case that doesn't happen we must have emotional balance, because elections are a political game in which only one can win", the pastor reminded.

 

Father António Francisco defended that the elections should run in the best way possible, that is with fairness and transparency, so that Angolans can see the results that come as the actual  will of the people.

 

For the second provincial secretary of the ruling MPLA in Benguela, António Kapewa Kalianguila, the ecumenical service is an opportunity for the union and solidarity of all Angolans, regardless of their ideas and interests, so that peace, as a common good, is safeguarded.

 

The provincial secretary of CASA-CE coalition, Martins Domingos, said that he left the cult more moralized from the spiritual point of view, since love for the neighbour and concord should prevail above group or individual interests.

 

The PRS representative, Horácio Abel, took the opportunity to appeal to the population to accept the result of the elections, regardless of who the winner will be.

 

With the exception of UNITA, which was not present, the politicians were aligned on the idea of citizens leaving the polling stations after exercising their civic duty, to avoid situations that could cause disturbances to the electoral process.

 

Religious denominations were present at the event including Catholics, Tocoistas, Kimbanguists, Methodists, members of CICA, IECA, IURD, and others.

 

The general elections on August 24 will elect the President of the Republic, the Vice President and the deputies (220 Mps).

 

At least eight political forces are running for the general elections, namely MPLA, UNITA, PRS, FNLA, APN, PHA and P-NJANGO parties and the CASA-CE coalition.

 

Roughly 14.3 million voters are expected to cast ballots on Wednesday.

Elections2022: Government decrees closure of markets on polling day

 Luanda - The Angolan government on Saturday ordered the closure of markets and fairs on Wednesday 24th August, which will be the polling day in Angola.

A joint decree from the ministries for Territorial Administration and for Trade and Industry said that the measure is extended to commercial establishments, which on Wednesday should give the necessary time off to their staff so that they can exercise their right to vote, even if they work on a shift system.

 

According to the document, the measure that is also extended to street and itinerant sales, aims to guarantee the massive participation of citizens on polling day.

 

“The markets and street fairs should open, exceptionally, on Monday, 22, in their normal opening hours”, states the decree that ANGOP has received.

 

For the voting process, roughly 14.3 million voters are expected to cast ballots. From tht number, 22,560 will vote from abroad (Angolans residing abroad), spread across 25 cities in 12 countries of Africa, Europe and South America.

 

This year 's elections count on the participation of eight political forces, namely MPLA, UNITA, PRS, FNLA, APN, PHA and P-NJANGO and the electoral coalition CASA-CE.

José Eduardo dos Santos’ funeral with no date set

 Luanda- The minister of Territory Administration, Marcy Lopes, said Saturday in Luanda, that with the arrival in Luanda of the corpse of the former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos, the coming days will be reserved for the tackling administrative and protocol issues related to the funeral.

The minister made the statement to the press at Luanda’s 4 de Fevereiro International Airport, following the arrival of the remains of the former Angolan statesman, who died on July 8 in Spain.

 

Regarding the date of the funeral, the minister, who coordinates the commission for the organization of the exequies, said the process needs to be handled with care and attention, adding that the date for the funeral will be communicated soon.

 

José Eduardo dos Santos died at the age of 79 in a Barcelona hospital, where he had been hospitalized since June 23 following a cardiac arrest.

 

Jose Eduardo dos Santos’ remains are in this moment in his official residence in the Miramar neighborhood, in Luanda.

 

In the next hours, the former president’s remains will be under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health until the date of the funeral to be announced by government authorities.

 

Outcome in Court

On August 16 the Court of Catalonia (Spain) decided to deliver the body of the Former President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, to his wife, Ana Paula dos Santos, for his burial.

 

The decision was made after the judge received reports from the Forensic Medical Institute and the Toxicology Laboratory.

 

The document says that in the resolution the judge recognizes Ana Paula dos Santos as the widow of the former Angolan Head of State.

 

The deliberation gave the former first lady the custody of the body of the former Head of State to proceed with the translocation process.

 

Ana Paula dos Santos was the interlocutor of the Angolan government when her husband was interned in a clinic in Barcelona, where he died.

 

During the process, the former First Lady of the Republic had the support of the Angolan government.

 

The legal dispute over the custody of the body involved the widow and the eight children of the former President of the Republic, especially the three eldest who were opposed to the delivery and transfer of the body of the former Head of State.

 

The transfer of the remains from Barcelona to the Angolan capital was accompanied by the widow of the former statesman, Ana Paula dos Santos, her children, relatives and  Angolan government officials.

 

José Eduardo dos Santos came to office as President of the Republic in September 1979, following the death of António Agostinho Neto, Angola's first president, and was in office for 38 years, until he was succeeded by João Lourenço.

José Eduardo dos Santos mortal remains sent to Luanda

 Luanda – The body of the former President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, is being flown to Luanda, whereit is expected to arrive this Saturday (20).

The information was confirmed today, in a statement, by the Commission for the Organisation of the Funeral Ceremony, adding that the date and programme of the funeral will be communicated in due course. 

 

Last Tuesday (16), the Court of Catalonia (Spain) decided the delivery of the remains of the former President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, to his wife Ana Paula dos Santos, for burial. 

 

The decision was made after the judge received reports from the Legal Medical Institute and the Toxicology Laboratory. 

 

 The document states that in the resolution the judge recognises Ana Paula dos Santos as the widow of the former Angolan Head of State. 

 

The deliberation empowers the former first lady to have the custody of the remains of the former Head of State and to proceed with the process of transfer. 

 

 Ana Paula dos Santos was the Angolan government's interlocutor when her husband was in a clinic in Barcelona, where he died. 

 

During the process, the former First Lady of the Republic had the support of the Angolan government, which intends to hold a state funeral in Luanda. 

 

Following the death of the former Head of State, the Angolan government decreed seven days of national mourning that came to an end without the presence of Mr Dos Santos remains. 

 

The legal dispute over custody of the body involved the widow and the eight children of the former President of the Republic, mainly the three eldest ones who opposed the delivery and transfer of the body of the former Head of State to Angola. 

 

 The former President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, died at the age of 79 on 8 July in a hospital in Barcelona, where he had been hospitalised since 23 June after a cardiac arrest. 

Ghana To Play Brazil In Pre-World Cup Friendly

 The Black Stars of Ghana will play against Brazil in an International friendly next month as part of the build up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals.

This follows the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone matches in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The game will take place on Friday, September 23, 2022 at a yet to be named venue in Europe.

The match will give Coach Otto Addo the platform to continue the assessment of his players in the build up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals in Doha.

The Black Stars will play Portugal (November 24), South Korea (November 28) and Uruguay (December 2) while Brazil face Serbia (24 November), Switzerland (28 November) and Cameroon (December 2).

The international friendly match against the Brazil national team will give Ghana a boost going into the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament.

Ukraine Wheat Will Ease Ethiopia Hunger – WFP

 The World Food Programme (WFP) says 30,000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat bought for its operations in Ethiopia is expected to arrive in neighbouring Djibouti next week.

Claire Neville, the WFP’s spokesperson for Ethiopia, has told the BBC that the wheat will support the organisation’s efforts to feed millions of people affected by food insecurity as a result of protracted conflicts and severe drought.

The food will support the body’s operations across the country, where it aims to target 3.4 million people in the northern regions of Tigray, Afar and Amhara that have been impacted by a brutal civil war that broke out 22 months ago, Ms Neville added.

An additional 2.4 million people are expected to be reached in the eastern Somali region, where people have been hit by consecutive seasons of low rainfall.

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Ethiopian Airlines Pilots ‘Overshoot Runway After Falling Asleep’

 Two pilots fell asleep at 37,000ft (11,000m), missing an airport runway before waking to safely land the plane, an aviation publication says.

Air traffic tried to contact them after they overshot the point of descent into Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa airport.

The pilots eventually woke up and landed the plane on its second approach, the Aviation Herald said.

The Ethiopian Airlines crew have been put on leave pending investigation, state-run news outlet Fana reported.

Monday’s passenger flight took off from Sudan’s Khartoum airport.

The Boeing 737, with a 154-seat capacity, normally takes less than two hours on its route between the neighbouring countries.

Reactions to sleeping on the job ranged from sympathy with the pilots’ work schedule to shock that they fell asleep on the job.

“I wouldn’t cast blame on the Ethiopian crew specifically here – this is something that could happen to ANY crew in the world and it probably DID happen… The blame lies on the corporation and the regulators,” read one comment on the Aviation Herald website.

Another user suggested that there was only one solution: “Termination. End of story. Full stop.”

Others saw the funny side of the story, comment on Twitter, “Sleeping on the job taken to new heights!”

An aviation analyst called the incident “deeply concerning” on Twitter.

“Pilot fatigue is nothing new, and continues to pose one of the most significant threats to air safety – internationally,” tweeted aviation analyst, Alex Macheras.

The BBC has contacted Ethiopian Airlines for comment.

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