It was the most tightly contested vote in the oil-rich country's democratic history. Photo: MARCO LONGARI / AFP/FileSource: AFPAngola on Thursday eagerly awaited the outcome of the most tightly contested vote in its democratic history, with early results showing a wide margin for incumbent Joao Lourenco but the opposition also claiming a lead. Ballot counting began after polls closed on Wednesday in the oil-rich nation, where multi-party polls were only introduced in 1992. Preliminary results published overnight by Angola's electoral commission gave the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) 60.65 percent of the vote with 33 percent of ballots counted. The main opposition the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) led by charismatic leader Adalberto Costa Junior was at 33.85 percent.

Source: Daily Nation August 25, 2022 06:12 UTC