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| Angola parties demand fresh polls | Angola parties demand fresh polls |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The leader of Angola's main opposition has asked election officials to rehold a parliamentary election because of widespread delays at polling stations. | The leader of Angola's main opposition has asked election officials to rehold a parliamentary election because of widespread delays at polling stations. |
| Isaias Samakuva, leader of the Unita party, said the system in the capital, Luanda, had collapsed, while another party leader said the vote was flawed. | |
| Later, officials announced 320 polling stations would reopen on Saturday. | |
| It was the oil-rich nation's first election in 16 years, but was marred by confusion from the outset. | It was the oil-rich nation's first election in 16 years, but was marred by confusion from the outset. |
| Some polling stations opened late, others quickly ran out of ballot papers. | Some polling stations opened late, others quickly ran out of ballot papers. |
| The problems were particularly marked in the country's overcrowded capital city. | The problems were particularly marked in the country's overcrowded capital city. |
| For the very first time the political parties are not inciting people, especially young people Former child soldier Luis Samakundi Angola polls promise changeFrom war amputees to first votersParty mood for peace poll | |
| Many voters were frustrated by the delays, but insisted they were prepared to wait in order to vote in the country's first election since the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. | |
| The head of the EU observer mission in the country, Luisa Morgantini, had expressed concern about the level of disorganisation at the start of voting. | The head of the EU observer mission in the country, Luisa Morgantini, had expressed concern about the level of disorganisation at the start of voting. |
| But she said the situation improved as the day went on. | But she said the situation improved as the day went on. |
| Fourteen parties were taking part, but the contest was primarily between Unita and its long-term rivals, the ruling MPLA party. | Fourteen parties were taking part, but the contest was primarily between Unita and its long-term rivals, the ruling MPLA party. |
| Credibility worries | Credibility worries |
| Mr Samakuva told the BBC's Focus programme that the electoral system in Luanda province had collapsed, and it was essential that the vote was repeated. | Mr Samakuva told the BBC's Focus programme that the electoral system in Luanda province had collapsed, and it was essential that the vote was repeated. |
| "At this stage nobody knows what percentage of the electorate was present at polling stations," he said. | "At this stage nobody knows what percentage of the electorate was present at polling stations," he said. |
| Angolan voters give their views on the landmark electionsIn pictures | Angolan voters give their views on the landmark electionsIn pictures |
| "Other polling stations worked but without representatives of the political parties, who were not allowed to get in. | "Other polling stations worked but without representatives of the political parties, who were not allowed to get in. |
| "We need to make this process credible - credible not only to the Angolans themselves but to the international community as well." | "We need to make this process credible - credible not only to the Angolans themselves but to the international community as well." |
| The leader of another opposition party, Ngola Kabangu of the FNLA, said the election was extremely flawed. | |
| The BBC's Peter Biles, reporting from Luanda, says it seems unlikely that the elections in the capital will be rescheduled, although the overall picture remains uncertain. | The BBC's Peter Biles, reporting from Luanda, says it seems unlikely that the elections in the capital will be rescheduled, although the overall picture remains uncertain. |
| The MPLA's Information Secretary, Kwata Kanawa told the Focus programme the polls were going to stay open until "everyone has voted in Angola". | The MPLA's Information Secretary, Kwata Kanawa told the Focus programme the polls were going to stay open until "everyone has voted in Angola". |
| "It's not a problem of chaos. It's just a problem of organisation because all the electoral books and ballot papers arrived late in Angola," he said. | "It's not a problem of chaos. It's just a problem of organisation because all the electoral books and ballot papers arrived late in Angola," he said. |
| Later, Caetano de Sousa, head of Angola's electoral commission, announced that voting would continue on Saturday in 320 of Luanda's polling stations. | |
| "Those polling stations who had problems opening will reopen tomorrow and those who did not open should also reopen tomorrow," he told a news conference in the capital. | |
| In the lead up to the election, Unita accused the MPLA of intimidating its supporters and dominating state media. | In the lead up to the election, Unita accused the MPLA of intimidating its supporters and dominating state media. |
| Thursday was the first day in a week that the state newspaper Jornal de Angola carried no front-page picture of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. | Thursday was the first day in a week that the state newspaper Jornal de Angola carried no front-page picture of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. |
| But Mr Sousa said there had been a level playing field. | |
| Some eight million voters are registered in the country - more than a quarter of whom live in the capital's overcrowded conditions. | Some eight million voters are registered in the country - more than a quarter of whom live in the capital's overcrowded conditions. |