Fear of post-electoral instability in Angola more than doubled the demand in commercial establishments in Luandawith avalanches of people eager to guarantee food on the eve of the fifth Angolan elections.
Fresh, rice, oil and pasta are the most demanded products in the various stores and commercial establishments of the Angolan capital, where surface managers guarantee to respond to consumer demand.
The significant presence of people, including buyers and sellers, in the Pedrinhas market, in the Terra Nova neighborhood, in the urban district of Rangel, draws the attention of passers-byin an intense movement also of vehicles that supply the warehouses.
Traders recognize it as a freak floodcompared to previous days, and link the demand for basic basket products to Wednesday’s elections, due to fears of instability after the vote.
Natália Francisco, manager of a store in that district, told Lusa that the demand for products in her establishment has increased considerably, especially this Tuesday, “because people are a little worried” about the post-election election.
“I think it is because of what is being said about the elections. THEpeople are a little worried because they don’t know what will happen after the electionsso they seek to increase the stock of their homes,” he said.
With a large number of bills in hand and always attentive to the movements of customers present in the store, this manager pointed out that rice, corn flour, oil and pasta lead customer demand.
“If we have [quantidade suficiente para responder à procura]. Rice, corn flour, oil, pasta have more production and in large quantities, people really want to have a considerable ‘stock’ at home”, he added.
Among dozens of customers in that store, Valdick Oliveira ran to the commercial area, adjacent to the Congolese Market, to “do a little shopping” because “the house reservation is low.”
The official pointed out, on the other hand, the need to have the essentials at home, since he is equally skeptical about what may come after the elections on Wednesday.
“This day [esta terça-feira] I really came to increase the stock and also for tomorrowit is not known what will happen tomorrow [quarta-feira] That is why I came to increase the reserve of the house”, he stressed.
Valdick Oliveira also argued that Angolans should go to the polls, considering, however, the widespread concern about post-electoral instability as legitimate.
“In my point of view, [o receio] is legitimate, because if you don’t know after the event what will happen tomorrow [quarta-feira] what comes after, then we have to increase the ‘stock’ at home”, he insisted.
In that commercial area, the intense movement of people with products, carried on their heads and others in wheelbarrowsconditions the circulation of passers-by, in the same place where the vendors also sell products at retail.
In another commercial area, in the same area, the manager Celestina Fernando spoke of an “abnormal” demand for products, on a day that she considered very busy, due to the elections.
“People are worried about shopping to prevent what is going to happen and they are worried about it. The demand has multiplied, yes,” she said.
The executive lamented, on the other hand, the increase in product prices, in relation to the months prior to the elections, noting that the price of a 25-kilo sack of rice rose to 9,000 kwanzas (20 euros) compared to Previous 7,000 kwanzas. (16 euros). ).
The increase in the prices of basic food products was also confirmed by Mariana de Jesús Singui, who also went to one of the stores in that market to buy five kilos of rice for 2,500 kwanzas (5.7 euros).
For the unemployed young woman, the increase in prices made life even more difficult for Angolans, who live in the run-up to the general elections with “fear of war”.
“They are saying that they are going to close the storesthere may be a war or that people come to buy something, that fear is not normal”, he stressed.
“But things are not very good in this country, the [quilograma de] the beans were 600 kwanzas [1,3 euros]but now it’s 900 kwanzas [2 euros], things are very bad. Joao Lourenco [atual Presidente angolano e candidato do MPLA, no poder] He came to ruin our country, he is not very good,” he shot.
The great movement of people in commercial surfaces and informal markets it is still registered in various parts of the Angolan capital.
Angola is this Tuesday a day of reflection, with a view to the elections on Wednesday, August 24, after almost a month of electoral campaign of the eight forces that compete for the vote, seven parties and a coalition of parties.
Source: Observadora
