The parliamentary group of UNITA, Angola’s largest opposition party, will urgently submit to parliament an organic bill on the institutionalization of local government, believing that justifications for not planning are “outdated.”
At a press conference, the leader of the parliamentary group of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Liberty Chiyaka, said that the party is committed to dialogue with all public authorities and society, promoting participatory democracy and creating local conditions. authorities reality in Angola during the current legislature.
Liberty Chiyaka stressed that with the presentation of this initiative, “excuses for not scheduling a debate and a final global vote on the local government legislation have become obsolete.”
“If, having heard several voices – the President of the Republic, the President of the MPLA [Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, partido no poder]different members of the executive branch, different members of the MPLA – publicly declare their desire to implement autarkies, if after these political speeches, when the UNITA parliamentary group enters the National Assembly, we see delaying maneuvers, the Angolans will have every reason to demonstrate and demand from the local authorities, the moment will be determined by the position of the regime,” he said.
According to Liberty Chiyaka, the government’s proposed law to institutionalize local government was presented to the National Assembly in 2017, but seven years later it has not been approved “due to a lack of political will.”
“The bill, which will be presented by the UNITA parliamentary group, will be submitted to the National Assembly as a matter of urgency. We will mobilize citizens to demand its implementation. According to the terms of the Constitution and the law, Deputies may require a certain amount. Planning for any urgent matter is what we will do,” he stressed.
The leader of the UNITA parliamentary group confirmed that “if the regime, the parliamentary majority,” rejects this initiative, “the Angolans will respond.”
“The deputies have done their job, from today public consultations officially begin within the framework of the calendar determined by the parliamentary group. We will distribute this project to everyone, we will collect contributions, there are 30 days of public consultations,” he said. highlighted.
Liberty Chiyaka said “MPs will join the people and will not allow themselves to be continually disrespected in their own country.”
“The participation of citizens in the management of public affairs has been enshrined in the Constitution since 1992; for 30 years now we have not had local authorities. This is a shame, and we cannot accept this shame, the time has come, our position will change. depend on the parliamentary majority,” he added.
Angolan President João Lourenço said in 2023 that the executive had “long since done its part” in the process of institutionalizing local government, a situation that had been “going on for many years” as it sought “the greatest possible consensus”. “.
At the last plenary session, the President of the National Assembly responded to the leader of the UNITA parliamentary group that a proposal to institutionalize local authorities was submitted to Parliament in the 2017-2022 legislature, but it expired at the end of the legislature, according to the parliamentarian. rules and customs. .
“Therefore, since no legislative initiative on this issue has yet been introduced in this legislative body, we are waiting for the deputies and the executive branch, by virtue of Article 167 of the Constitution, to take the legislative initiative on this issue,” Caroline said. Cerqueira.
The leader of the UNITA parliamentary group stated that “all these explanations are useless” since there is no custom that “a law that was discussed in the previous legislature can no longer be in force, this is not true.”
Liberty Chiyaka stated that local government is not the only way to overcome population problems, “but it is the best” because the model of concentration of power and administrative centralization “that Angola has implemented for 50 years has failed.”
The proposed law to institutionalize local government is the only piece of legislation in the local legislative package that has not yet been approved, with the first local elections due to be scheduled from 2020.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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