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| Angola's troubled election closes | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Voting has ended in Angola on the second day of parliamentary elections which are seen as a vital step in the country's recovery from decades of war. | |
| Polling was extended after chaos on Friday prevented many people in Luanda province from casting their vote. | |
| Opponents of the ruling MPLA party have called for a re-run of the poll, which EU election observers have reportedly said broke domestic election laws. | Opponents of the ruling MPLA party have called for a re-run of the poll, which EU election observers have reportedly said broke domestic election laws. |
| However, African observers said the vote had been transparent and credible. | |
| It is the oil-rich nation's first election in 16 years, but was marred by confusion from the outset. | |
| Fourteen parties are taking part but the contest is mainly between the ruling MPLA party and its long-term rivals, Unita. | Fourteen parties are taking part but the contest is mainly between the ruling MPLA party and its long-term rivals, Unita. |
| Mixed observations | |
| On Friday, some polling stations opened late and others quickly ran out of ballot papers. The problems were particularly serious in the overcrowded capital. | On Friday, some polling stations opened late and others quickly ran out of ballot papers. The problems were particularly serious in the overcrowded capital. |
| Luisa Morgantini, head of the EU observer mission in Angola, blamed "woeful organisation" for the problems and said that a failure to provide voter registration lists at polling stations was a violation of the country's electoral laws. | Luisa Morgantini, head of the EU observer mission in Angola, blamed "woeful organisation" for the problems and said that a failure to provide voter registration lists at polling stations was a violation of the country's electoral laws. |
| "The law was broken because the electoral registration was not distributed," Luisa Morgantini, who is leading a 120-member EU team, told Reuters news agency. | "The law was broken because the electoral registration was not distributed," Luisa Morgantini, who is leading a 120-member EU team, told Reuters news agency. |
| 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 | 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 |
| She added that some election officials had failed to show up at some polling stations, and that there was a shortage of the ink used to mark voters' fingers and prevent multiple voting. | She added that some election officials had failed to show up at some polling stations, and that there was a shortage of the ink used to mark voters' fingers and prevent multiple voting. |
| Observers from the regional grouping, Southern African Development Community (Sadc), saw things differently and said the vote had been "transparent and credible". | |
| "The Sadc mission congratulates the people of Angola on peaceful, free, transparent and credible elections which reflect the will of the people," John Kunene of the observer mission told the AFP news agency. | |
| Isaias Samakuva, leader of the Unita party, said the system in Luanda had collapsed, while another party leader said the vote was flawed. | Isaias Samakuva, leader of the Unita party, said the system in Luanda had collapsed, while another party leader said the vote was flawed. |
| The party says it will challenge the legitimacy of the vote in Luanda province at the country's Constitutional Court. | The party says it will challenge the legitimacy of the vote in Luanda province at the country's Constitutional Court. |
| "We had no choice but to file the challenge. Conditions did not exist for the election in Luanda (province) yesterday and they still do not exist today," Unita spokesman Adalberto da Costa said. | "We had no choice but to file the challenge. Conditions did not exist for the election in Luanda (province) yesterday and they still do not exist today," Unita spokesman Adalberto da Costa said. |
| However, the national electoral commission, which took the decision to run it for an unscheduled second day and reopen 320 polling stations, has blamed local officials for the problems. | However, the national electoral commission, which took the decision to run it for an unscheduled second day and reopen 320 polling stations, has blamed local officials for the problems. |
| Credibility | |
| Rejecting demands that the election be held again, commission president Caetano de Sousa told journalists: "Other than this Luanda situation, we believe the process went well generally." | Rejecting demands that the election be held again, commission president Caetano de Sousa told journalists: "Other than this Luanda situation, we believe the process went well generally." |
| Although many voters were frustrated by the delays, they 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. | Although many voters were frustrated by the delays, they 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. |
| Angolan voters give their views on the landmark electionsIn pictures | Angolan voters give their views on the landmark electionsIn pictures |
| 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. |
| "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 leader of another opposition party, Ngola Kabangu of the FNLA, said the election was extremely flawed. |
| 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. | 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. |