Luanda — The Angolan Electoral Observatory (OEA) requested Wednesday to the Constitutional Court (TC) the admission of its Electoral Observation Mission to the general elections on 24 August this year, in Angola.

The request was presented by the Head of the Electoral Observation Mission of the Angolan Electoral Observatory (OEA), Dom Gabriel Mbilingi during a hearing that was granted to him by the Constitutional Court president, Laurinda Cardoso, in the Palace of Justice in Luanda.

Gabriel Mbilingi, Archbishop of Lubango, said he discussed with Laurinda Cardoso issues linked to the electoral process and his institution´s intention to be included as an electoral observer.

The official stated as well that he received guarantees from the Constitutional Court that currently there is no electoral litigation in this judicial body after the end of the possible shortcomings in the candidacies submitted to run for the next general elections in Angola.

The prelate, who met behind closed doors with the Constitutional Court president, said he also received clarification that the electoral law does not state anything towards the activities carried out by political parties in the electoral pre-campaign.

The Archbishop of Lubango said he had been informed that the Angolan Election Law only provides the start of the election campaign 30 days before polling day and ends at 00:00 hours on the previous day before election day.

The Electoral Observation Mission of the Angolan Electoral Observatory (OEA) is made up of civic society institutions and churches and is devoted to promoting electoral civic education until the date for the inauguration of the elected President of the Republic and the Members of the National Assembly.

The Constitutional Court, as an electoral jurisdiction in charge to assess the regularity and validity of the candidacies for general elections, has just closed the phase of correcting possible shortcomings from the initial applications (candidacies).

However, if the TC confirms the absence of contestation and rejection of candidacies or complaints, it will send to the National Electoral Commission (CNE) the complete paperwork on all admitted lists.

One copy of the lists will be displayed at the door of the TC and another list will be sent to the candidates' representatives.

So far, from the eight political groups, seven of them are political parties and one coalition, namely MPLA, CASA-CE, APN, UNITA, PRS, FNLA, PHA and P-NJANGO, presented candidacies for the general elections.