UNITA intended to cancel the plenary session intended to discuss the accusation and dismissal of João Lourenço. The Constitutional Court rejected the request, saying it found “no legal disagreements.”
The Constitutional Court (TC) of Angola dismissed a parliamentary litigation appeal by UNITA (opposition) that sought to annul the plenary session intended to discuss the process of impeachment and dismissal of the President of the Republic, and which took place behind closed doors. This is the second UNITA process on the removal of the PR that the TC rejects.
In December of last year, The UNITA parliamentary group sent two legal processes to the TCafter a hectic parliamentary session, which took place on September 14, in which the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) stopped the impeachment process of the President of the Republic presented by the opposition, in a meeting that took place closed door. doors.
Of the two cases, one, on the Successive Abstract Inspection of Constitutionality of a Norm of the Regulations of the National Assembly, was decided in April of this year, with the TC rejecting the request for partial unconstitutionality of a norm of the Regulations of the National Assembly. National Assembly used during the ‘impeachment’ process in which the majority of the MPLA blocked the initiative of the largest Angolan opposition party.
The other, on the Parliamentary Conflict – UNITA wanted to challenge alleged defects found in the Extraordinary Plenary Session held on October 14, 2023 by the National Assembly – has now seen its outcome through the ruling in which the TC did not give reasons for the opposition.
“This Constitutional Court considers that there are no unconstitutionalities or legal disagreements in the procedure adopted in the Extraordinary Plenary Session, held by the National Assembly”reads the ruling consulted by Lusa.
UNITA alleged several irregularities, including the failure to distribute the work agenda documents to parliamentary groups and working committees, the fact that the plenary session was not broadcast live and the open vote, to the detriment of the secret vote, requesting the TC to declare the extraordinary plenary session held on October 14, 2023 null and void.
The plenary session took place behind closed doors, in a tense atmosphere, with opposition deputies shouting “shame” after the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the majority party, voted in favor of not creating a possible commission on the impeachment process. and dismissal of the President of the Republic, signed by 90 UNITA deputies.
“A meeting like this, in which the public interest is total, the MPLA decided to hold behind closed doors, shows that it is afraid of the people and the democratic debate”the president of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Adalberto da Costa Júnior, then told reporters.
“What happened here does not comply with legality (…) They invited us to vote for nothing, there was no resolution, what happened here was nothing,” said the political leader, calling for respect for democratic rules.
Although press access to the room was prohibited, several deputies circulated videos of the session on social media that showed the atmosphere of tension that existed, with opposition deputies raising their fists in the air and shouting “ Angola belongs to the people, not to the people.” MPLA”, “shame”, “dictatorship” and “fear”.
For deputy Ju Martins (MPLA), what was at stake were “tricks by UNITA”, which, after announcing in July that it would propose the removal of the Angolan president, was “simulating the participation of civil society” and “managing this element” to present the initiative on the eve of the opening of the new parliamentary year.
“He did it on purpose,” he accused, highlighting that the president of the assembly complied with the rules and convened the permanent commission to consider the matter, as was his responsibility.
Source: Observadora
