Declaration by the United States Embassy Electoral Observation Team
September 9, 2008

 

The United States Embassy in Luanda wishes to thank the National Election Commission for the invitation to observe Angola’s 2008 legislative elections.  Resident in Angola, members of the U.S. Embassy observed the electoral campaign in Luanda and in many of the nation’s provinces.  On Election Day, the U.S. Embassy fielded 37 observers in Benguela, Bie, Huambo, Luanda and Uige Provinces.

The United States Embassy congratulates the people of Angola, who took seriously their role in the democratic process of choosing their representatives to the National Assembly.  Overcoming fears and uncertainties engendered by Angola’s last elections 16 years ago, millions of Angolans turned out to vote, many for the first time. The Embassy Observation Team recognizes the enormity of organizing over 12,000 polling stations in a country still recovering from a long period of civil conflict. Over a half million Angolans participated directly in the Election Day process as polling station workers, political party poll-watchers, and domestic observers. 

The electoral campaign period was generally peaceful throughout the country.  The advantages of incumbency provided the ruling party preferential access to resources, and state control of nationwide media gave the ruling party an advantage in campaign coverage in the national print and electronic media. 

On Election Day, the country was peaceful.  The Embassy Observation Team observed no acts of voter intimidation. 

According to reports of the Embassy Observation Team, the voting process outside Luanda proceeded in a generally timely and efficient manner.  At many polling stations in Luanda, however, voting supplies were delivered late or not at all, resulting in long delays in opening these stations, if, indeed, they opened.   Embassy Observers witnessed many citizens casting ballots without reference to voter registration rolls, either print or electronic.  This situation was compounded by conflicting interpretations of how to utilize tendered ballots.  Inking of a finger was the only control against multiple voting.  

To promote transparency of the tabulation process, we encourage the National Election Commission to release soon the tabulated results for each voting station, thus enabling political party poll-watchers and national and international observers to cross-check the results released by the CNE with those agreed to by all party poll-watchers when ballots were counted at the polling station. 

The U.S. Embassy believes the logistical and other  problems of these elections offer valuable lessons for Angola’s future elections, beginning with next year’s presidential elections. 

Again, we congratulate the people of Angola on their participation in this important step in strengthening their democracy.