President Joao Lourenco sworn in for 2nd term in Angola

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Angola’s President Joao Lourenco, 68, was sworn in Thursday for a second term in office in the nation’s capital of Luanda.

The ceremony was officiated by the president of the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Prazeres, at the palm tree-lined Praca da Republica square, according to national broadcaster Radio Nacional de Angola.

Lourenco pledged to create jobs for the nation’s unemployed youths.

Main opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), boycotted the ceremony.

There was a heavy police and military presence as opposition supporters were feared to be planning protests, according to reports.

Lourenco’s ruling party, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), was declared the winner of the Aug. 24 vote by the National Electoral Commission after garnering 51.17% of the vote.

It was the slimmest margin the MPLA, which has led the oil-rich southern African country since independence in 1975, has ever won in an election, according to analysts, this

UNITA received 43.95% of the vote and disputed the results. But the Constitutional Court dismissed the complaint.

MPLA won 124 deputies while rival UNITA has 90. Three smaller parties have two deputies each.