The Two Leading Contenders Vying for Angola’s Presidency
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The winner of Angola’s elections faces a multitude of challenges, the most pressing of which will be to root out corruption, diversify the oil-dependent economy and ensure the nation’s wealth benefits its population, rather than a tiny elite.
The contest for the presidency is set to be a two-horse race between incumbent Joao Lourenco, who heads the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, or MPLA, and Adalberto Costa Junior, the charismatic leader of the main opposition National Union for the Total Liberation of Angola, or Unita. Both have outlined similar proposals to reduce living costs, create jobs, tackle graft and reduce the role the state plays in the economy.