Correcting what is bad, improving what is good? A citizenry’s perspective on governance in Angola

The report Correcting what is bad, improving what is good? A citizenry’s perspective on governance in Angolais available now, in Portuguese. The document is the result of the research project “Monitoring governance in Angola: From 2017 elections to governmental action”, funded by Open Society–Angola. Published in two volumes, this study includes a critical outlook of post-independence electoral processes in Angola and the findings regarding citizenry’s expectations and assessments regarding the new government that took office after the 2017 general elections. Unveiling a generalized criticism, the key findings point out to how mistrust towards the political regime dominated by the ruling party (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, MPLA) is fueling social discontent, mainly amongst the youth. They also reveal how social discontent is intrinsically articulated in terms of democratic and social justice aspirations.

Besides a deep historical overview of Angolan political processes, the research was organized in three main phases. The first one consisted in a pre-electoral national survey. In the second phase, a new national survey monitored citizens’ positionings regarding the first six months of the new executive. Finally, a final national survey was held when the new Angolan executive completed the first year of its mandate. Data show that the hegemony of MPLA is being deeply criticized and questioned. For a significant part of Angolans, 45 years of the same ruling party is the key obstacle for change; until then, change will apparently remain an illusion.

Coordinated by the Social Sciences and Humanities LAB, the project was conducted by a multidisciplinary research team, encompassing the School of Economics of the Catholic University of Angola as well as the Angolan Electoral Observatory. More than 30 community based civic organizations throughout the country have participated in this project and their contribution has been immensely valuable, representing thus a step further in the quest for collective processes of knowledge production.

Authors are Catarina Antunes Gomes and Cesaltina Abreu, LAB Coordinators. Mrs. Gomes is also Deputy Director, Research and Development, at PAZSOS. We congratulate her, her team, and her LAB, for this achievement.

For more details, visit: http://www.ucan.edu/www14/index.php

Laurent Corbeil, PhD.
Chairman of the Board of Directors