Luanda, ANGOLA, February 1 - The National Assembly (Angolan parliament) will swear in on February 19 the candidate designated by the Superior Council for the Judicial Magistracy (CSMJ), for the position of chairperson of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), Manuel Pereira da Silva.,

The information was released last Friday, in Luanda, by the National Assembly's spokesman, Raul Lima, in the end of the conference of parliamentary whips, which set the agenda for the 5th Ordinary Plenary Meeting, convened for this February 19.

 

Manuel Pereira da Silva, until then chairman of the Provincial Electoral Commission of Luanda, won the public competition for the position, previously held by André da Silva Neto, who served two terms.

 

Besides Manuel Pereira da Silva, who won with 87 points, participated in the contest Sebastião Bessa, Agostinho António Santos and Avelino Yululu, who obtained 61, 54 and 48 points, respectively.

 

The competition to choose the new president of the CNE was opened in March 2019.

 

Cause of Delays

The disclosure of the results had been delayed because of complaints and the filing of an injunction by one of the candidates.

 

However, the case was not upheld either by the CSMJ or the Supreme Court.

 

The National Electoral Commission (CNE), composed of 17 members, is an independent body that organizes, executes, coordinates and conducts electoral processes.

 

It is an entity not integrated in the direct administration of the State and that enjoys organic and functional independence.

 

The remaining members of the CNE are appointed by the National Assembly, by an absolute majority of the parties therein represented and in proportion number with the electoral results (parliamentary seats apportionment), obeying the principles of majority and respect for parliamentary minorities.

 

According to the ruling MPLA party’s parliamentary whip, Américo Cuononoca, when receiving information from the CSMJ on the inauguration of the newly elected head of the CNE, the National Assembly must respect the principle of separation of powers and interdependence.

 

"The National Assembly, an independent and sovereign body that approves and supervises the laws, cannot question the decisions of another sovereign body", he emphasized.

 

Américo Cuononoca underlined that the National Assembly has a commitment to complying with the law "and, in this case, it must concede to the inauguration of the CNE president, who is elected by another sovereign body".

 

From a political point of view, according to the MPLA deputy, each parliamentary bench should draw its conclusions according to its interests.

 

Opposition Disputes Decision

Liberty Chiaka, parliamentary whip of the largest opposition party, UNITA, said that the CNE candidate, elected by the CSMJ, was voted against by his party.

 

Angola’s main opposition party believes that it is necessary to give credibility to state institutions and electoral processes.

 

To the UNITA politician, the CNE, an organ tasked with managing the electoral processes, must be chaired by  “Angolan citizens who meet conditions from the legal and moral point of view".

 

An identical position was defended by the leaders of the parliamentary groups of CASA-CE and PRS, namely Alexandre Sebastião and Benedito Daniel.

 

To deputy Lucas Ngonda, leader and of the FNLA and its sole representative in parliament, despite the fact that the election of the new CNE head deserved a challenge, which produced a precautionary measure (injunction), the National Assembly cannot oppose the decisions of the other sovereign bodies.

 

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