Demonstrations Against Government Erupt in Angola

Anti-government demonstrations involving thousands of people in Angola’s capital of Luanda turned violent this week, killing four, in one of the most disruptive waves of mass protests the country has seen in recent years, the BBC reported. 

The demonstrations, which continued Tuesday and closed major shops, banks, and businesses, arose from a three-day strike by taxi drivers over the weekend protesting rising petrol prices. It then morphed into anti-government demonstrations against the almost five decades of rule by the governing People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party. 

The protests were smaller than Monday’s demonstrations, where angry Angolans blocked roads, looted shops, torched cars, and clashed with police. 

“The fuel price issue is just the last straw that has reignited widespread public discontent…,” local activist Laura Macedo told the BBC. “People are fed up. Hunger is rife.”  

After Monday’s clashes, officials warned residents to stay home, describing the protests as “acts of vandalism” aiming to undermine the celebration of Angola’s 50th anniversary of independence.  

The protests erupted after taxi drivers called the strike in response to the government’s decision earlier this month to raise the price of diesel by more than 33 percent. The move is part of efforts to eliminate fuel subsidies in the oil-rich country. 

This price hike has not only led to higher taxi fares for Angolans, who rely on taxi services, but has also caused the prices of basic goods to increase.  

Angolan President João Lourenço belittled these concerns, arguing that protesters are using the price hikes as an excuse to undermine the government. He added that even after the increase, the price of diesel in Angola remains one of the lowest in the world. 

The average monthly salary in Angola is around $75, and the president’s promise to increase wages to around $120 has gone nowhere, critics say.