International
Angolan President Dos Santos steps down after 38yrs in power
Long-serving Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has decided to call it quits with power 38-years after mounting the saddle as the leader of the oil rich African country.
Dos Santos made the announcement on Friday while addressing press men saying he will not run in this year’s presidential election, calling an end to 38 years rule as head of state, but also noted he will retain control of the powerful ruling party.
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The 74-year-old leader who in March last year said he would not run in elections due in August got many suspicious, especially his opponents given that he had reneged on similar pledges during nearly four decades ruling Angola.
His inscrutable public demeanour belies his tight control of Angola, where he has overseen an oil-backed economic boom and the reconstruction of infrastructure devastated by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002.
“The real news is Dos Santos hanging on,” said Gary van Staden, political analyst at NKC African Economics.
“He is going to stay in a very powerful position in the party, which means he is going to stay in control and the president will defer to him.”
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