Angolans voted on Midweek inward an election mark the cease of President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos's 38-year reign, amongst his MPLA political party ready to retain ability despite an economical crisis.
He is the second-longest-serving leader inward Africa
The MPLA, which has ruled since Angola's independence from Portugal inward 1975, is expected to defeat opposition parties stifled yesteryear Dos Santos's authoritarian regime.
Dos Santos's unexpected retirement -- reportedly prompted yesteryear pitiable wellness -- has triggered the biggest political transition inward decades for Angola, a leading African stone oil exporter.
His chosen successor withal is Defence Minister Joao Lourenco, a loyalist expected to avoid immediate alter inward a regime oftentimes criticised for corruption in addition to its failure to tackle dire poverty.
"I am calm, I am going to remain calmly at dwelling trace of piece of work solid piece waiting for my political party colleagues to inform me of the results," Lourenco said afterward voting inward Luanda, adding the election was "going smoothly."
Dos Santos's long reign has seen the cease of Angola's bloody civil nation of war that lasted from 1975 to 2002, in addition to a post-conflict investment smash every bit the seat down exploited its stone oil reserves.
But the inundation of coin brought footling produce goodness to Angola's poor, in addition to regime spending collapsed when stone oil prices savage inward 2014.
Inflation hitting twoscore pct at the cease of final year, when annual increase was less than 1 percent.
- 'Transitional successor' -
Lourenco, 63, has vowed to boost unusual investment, in addition to said he wants to live recognised every bit the homo who brought an "economic miracle" to Angola.
At a weekend rally inward forepart of thousands of MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) supporters, Dos Santos, a frail-looking 74, made a brief appearance to endorse Lourenco.
"Dos Santos brought frontward his divergence to afterward these elections due to his deteriorating health," Alex Vines, of the Chatham House mean value tank, told AFP.
"Lourenco is an ideal transitional successor to Dos Santos. He is respected yesteryear the military machine in addition to has non lived a flamboyant lifestyle of many others."
Dos Santos has been dogged yesteryear reports of illness. His regular visits to Espana for "private" reasons fuelled criticism that the province of his wellness was beingness hidden from ordinary Angolans.
Earlier this year, his immature lady Isabel -- who has move a billionaire in addition to Africa's richest businesswoman nether his dominion -- was forced to deny rumours he had died inward Spain.
In the human face upwards of ruthless safety forcefulness crackdowns in addition to a biased state-run media, the opposition parties -- led yesteryear UNITA in addition to Casa-CE -- bring sought to tap into world anger at the government.
"You who are suffering, yous who are inward poverty, without electricity, without jobs or naught to consume -- alter is now," Isaias Samakuva, the UNITA leader told supporters on the displace trail.
Samakuva, 71, took over UNITA afterward longtime rebel leader Jonas Savimbi was killed inward 2002, a decease that marked the kickoff of the cease of the civil war.
- 'Appalling human rights record' -
Dissent has oftentimes been unsafe nether Dos Santos, who has been a secretive merely inescapable presence inward Angolan life for decades.
Angola's side yesteryear side leader "must guide the seat down out of the spiral of oppression," rights grouping Amnesty said inward a statement.
"Dos Santos' presidency is marked yesteryear his appalling human rights record. For decades, Angolans bring lived inward a climate of fearfulness inward which speaking out was met amongst intimidation (and) imprisonment."
"I came to vote for the change," Jose Manuel, 23, told AFP at a polling station inward the Talatona neighbourhood of Luanda. "I produce non bring whatever work, nosotros bring a lot of things that nosotros postulate here."
The MPLA -- which won 72 pct inward the 2012 election -- has funded a rush of infrastructure projects including bridges in addition to dams, acre to shore upwards back upwards levels amidst Angola's 9.3 meg registered voters.
Dos Santos to remain MPLA political party chief, in addition to novel laws passed final calendar month express the unfettered presidential ability he enjoyed.
Polls are due to unopen at 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) amongst early on results expected yesteryear Friday.
AP