Luanda - The chief of the Deputy General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) for Patriotic Education João António Santana has urged the members of the defence forces to serve the country with high patriotic and civic sense.
The high ranking officer of FAA made the call ahead of August 24 elections as established by the Constitution of the Republic.
Presiding over the opening ceremony of the training course for trainers in electoral civic education at the Ministry of National Defence and Veterans of the Homeland on Tuesday, João Santana spoke of the need to implement the State's strategy in maintaining peace and consolidating democracy, thus, well-being of all citizens.
He called on the participants to engage in learning to, with duty and responsibility, train the aforementioned agents in the military units, aimed at raising awareness and mobilising the personnel to actively participate in the electoral process.
On the other hand, he paid tribute to the former President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, who died last Friday, praising his achievements in favour of Angolans, with stress to the achievement of peace.
Fifty-three electoral civic education agents from the provincial branch offices of the Ministry of National Defence and Veterans of the Homeland are, since Tuesday, participating in a training course for trainers, ahead of the general elections on 24 August.
This year's elections, which will have the participation of Angolans abroad for the first time, are the fifth in Angola's history, after those held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017.
More than 14.3 million voters are expected to take part in the process, of whom 22,560 are residing abroad.
The previous elections took place on 23 August 2017, with participation of six political parties.
The MPLA won by an absolute majority, with 61 percent of the votes, followed by UNITA with 26.67 percent and CASA-CE (Ample Convergence for the Salvation of Angola – Electoral Coalition) with 9.44 percent.
