Middle East & Africa | Dead but not forgotten

A dictator’s ghost haunts Angola’s upcoming elections

Despite a resurgent opposition, the ruling party is expected to rig its way to victory

Angola incumbent President Joao Lourenco addresses an elections rally in Luanda on July 23, 2022. - Angolan President Joao Lourenco's quest for re-election couldn't come at a worse time, analysts say, with the recent death of his strongman predecessor, a struggling economy and soaring poverty looming large. Lourenco is seeking a second term in the August 24 vote that observers predict will be the tightest since the oil-rich country emerged from a lengthy civil war two decades ago. (Photo by Julio PACHECO NTELA / AFP) (Photo by JULIO PACHECO NTELA/AFP via Getty Images)

Aug 18th 2022|JOHANNESBURG

How much is a dead dictator worth? Quite a lot, judging by the squabble over the corpse of José Eduardo dos Santos, the kleptocratic ruler of Angola from 1979 to 2017, who died in a hospital in Barcelona on July 8th. João Lourenço, current president of the southern African country, wants to bring his predecessor’s body home for a state funeral ahead of a general election on August 24th. He hopes that a grand ceremony would unite supporters of the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (mpla).

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Dead but not forgotten”