Angola: Election Irregularities

Human Rights Watch has issued a statement on Angola’s Parliamentary elections earlier this month. It says the voting was “marred by numerous irregularities.”

The ruling MPLA won more than 80 percent of the vote, the first held in Angola since 1992. But key problems identified by Human Rights Watch include “obstruction by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of accreditation for national electoral observers, its failure to respond to media bias in favor of the ruling party, and severe delays by the Angolan government in providing funds to opposition parties.”

HRW says the evidence suggests the polls did not meet the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections in key areas.

“With presidential elections due in 2009, Angola needs to reform the electoral commission so it isn’t dominated by the ruling party and can respond effectively to election problems,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “If the electoral commission isn’t reformed, there’s a risk that Angolans and international partners could lose confidence in the country’s fledgling democratic process.”

You can read the entire statement here.