Locals in parts of Angola’s primary city continue to be apprehensive to talk freely about the incidents in July, when demonstrations halted daily activities and disturbances rocked various areas.
Initially launched as a call among transport workers to oppose surging energy expenses escalated into three days of conflict, causing at least three dozen fatalities and numerous individuals of arrests.
Roads were blocked with flaming tires, shops were looted, and clashes broke out between protesters and law enforcement.
This marked one of the largest outbreaks of public outcry since the conclusion of the internal conflict in 2002.
Fundamental Causes: Destitution and Inequality
In the lead-up to petroleum-endowed Angola marking 50 years of autonomy from Portugal, the protests emphasized ongoing apprehensions about poverty and social inequality.
Within communities where unrest peaked, limited individuals are prepared to share views publicly, concerned over retaliation or targeting due to widespread detentions during and after the events.
"Situations could have gotten out of control, but we needed to be this vocal to wake up those in power," stated a young informal seller from Luanda who chose to remain unnamed.
Since departing school before concluding secondary education, he now vends beverages along one of the capital's most crowded thoroughfares to support his family.
He is countless people grappling to make ends meet amid towering buildings erected by petroleum income.
Youth Unemployment Propels Discontent
For the vendor, joining the initial phase of protests was a way to show that "our opinions matter" and that those facing similar challenges deserve a piece of the prosperity of a country that is "prosperous for elites, but difficult for so many of us."
Youth unemployment has been a key factor of public demonstrations in this demographically fresh state where the median average age is under 16.
Lack of work among 15-to-24-year-olds reaches 54%, based on government statistics. Out of 18 million young people of working age, only a fraction have jobs in the formal sector – meaning they receive regular wages and fulfill fiscal duties.
Across urban centers, numerous unemployed youth who are no longer in school emphasize the state's inability in addressing their hopes.
"I just vend on the street when I can get enough money to buy the items," the peddler remarked. "There are months when I make no sales because business is so slow. I and countless others live like this, and nobody pays attention us. That’s why we refuse to stay quiet."
Sociological Perspective
Angolan sociologist Gilson Lázaro was unsurprised by the summer protests. He believes that those at the center of the demonstrations were the "impoverished."
"They represent young people, the most, who have little remaining but their lives. That is why they protested publicly without fear," he observed.
The protests emerged without planning in some of Luanda's more populous and poorer areas, where some inhabitants are without access to basic sanitation as well as other critical facilities.
Gradually, demonstrators moved into the capital's main avenues, causing disorder and "lifting the veil on a public concern that has long existed but which the governing class has opted to neglect," according to the expert.
"Over recent years, Angola has been heading towards a deep social, financial, and, above all, leadership trust crisis. The root cause is the flawed way the country has been run since the end of the civil war in 2002," Dr. Lázaro added.
Government Response
National authorities has taken a contrary perspective.
A state spokesperson did not answer a inquiry for comment on the events and their aftermath, but in a public speech, President João Lourenço made his views clear.
He denounced the protests as "deeds committed by reckless individuals, directed by disloyal national and foreign organizations through online platforms, bringing sorrow, destruction of state and personal assets, reduced access to critical products and support, and job losses for Angolans."
Fiscal Issues
In spite of repeated promises to broaden economic sectors, Angola remains reliant upon oil and gas, which are by far the country's primary overseas sales as well as the key source of public funds.
"Natural resources are beneficial, but the challenge lies in how revenues are used," local financial expert Francisco Paulo remarked. "Should the nation emulate examples like Norway or Saudi Arabia, using oil wealth to bolster non-oil sectors and train its labor pool, it would be a advantage. Sadly, revenues here are squandered on non-essential costs with no added value."
Subsequent to the exit of former President Dos Santos, Angola experienced five consecutive years of economic decline between 2017 and 2021.
Expansion only resumed in 2022, largely driven by non-oil sectors. But current progress has had scant influence on most Angolans' lives.
As per an analysis this year, the World Bank estimated that more than a 33% of the population subsist with less than $2.15 per day.
It said that while the economy was expanding, it was not keeping up with population growth, meaning that, on average, people were becoming more impoverished.
Future Outlook
As independence celebrations approach, plans including entertainment gatherings, state honors, and a football match including renowned athlete Messi are in advanced stages.
But young scholar Lea Komba challenges the old socialist slogan "united citizens, one state," coined during the historical single-party system of the late 1970s.
"This is inaccurate that we all share the same reality. There is significant imbalance. Young people in underserved regions are almost condemned to extreme poverty, without adequate instruction or good work, even if they study hard and earn a degree," she said.
"These young people think with their stomachs, because hunger leaves them with little hope. They are the ones who took to the roads."
She added that "government leaders must look at fundamental reasons, not just results."
"Plundering was simply the way young people found to draw attention from those in power."
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