After 31 wounded, UNITA leader returns to Uige and leaves appeal to police

A National Unit for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) returned today to Uíge, where the Permanent Committee meets on Friday in preparation for the general elections of 2027.

On the way to the site, party president Adalberto Costa junior published a video on social networks in which he explains that this return is “to make the closure of a journey that was incomplete”, in reference to the events of August 8.

The date was marked by police intervention that scattered UNITA militants gathered at a youth event of the party, Jura, and for a tribute to the founder, Jonas Savimbi, which was postponed.

“ Don’t say goodbye to us like you did on the 9th, don’t say goodbye to us like that, don’t do what you did here during that weekend,” he called, at a street rally, recorded in a video released, also, on the social networks of the party leader.

Adalberto Costa Júnior recalled that when UNITA's entourage left Uíge on August 9, he rejected police follow-up because he considered that “it was not true” after the events of the previous day.

“One day they can’t attack us and the next day they will accompany us on our way out,” he said, adding that today they were welcomed on arrival and calling for it to be the same way on their way out, and the return to Luanda is scheduled on Saturday.

“ We returned to the Uíge because we had to go back to the Uíge, and we could not let go long without going back”, he continued, stressing that the most important reason is to do in that place “reaffirmation of the Democratic rule of law”.

UNITA’s leader said that the state is all Angolans, “it’s a plural entity”.

“ And we had to come here to the Uíge to tell you that Angola, this wonderful country, this diversity, this set of rich ethnic groups, rich cultures, also has a dimension that represents it that is the party plurality, the multiplicity of parties, all with the right to exercise their functions, their representativeness and the obligation of respect for this plurality”, he said.

For the leader, UNITA had to return to avoid making the way to the elections of 2027, “a path of violence, intolerance, rejection, brutality”.

“It is not our option, it has never been and never will be,” he said, ensuring that “the violence that happened here on August 8 did not have UNITA as a participant.”.

Adalberto Costa Júnior reclassified these events as “completely free violence”.

At least 31 people were injured on August 8 during police intervention joined the Uíge headquarters, where the party ended up canceling a ceremony to mark the 92nd anniversary of the founder, Jonas Savimbi.

UNITA filed criminal complaints against the Uige governor and the provincial commander of the National Police, while that security force accused the party of making political use of the incident.

Less than a month later, the Standing Committee meets under the motto “With Unity and Inclusion, Performing the Alternance of Power in 2027, UNITA — the Hope of the Angolans” to analyze the political, social and economic situation of the country, according to the party.

According to the information available, the meeting, this Friday, will also serve to make the performance balance during the months of June, July and August of the party, which aims to win the People's Movement of Liberation of Angola (MPLA), in power since independence, for more than half a century.