Political Bureau of the MPLA holds a day in Cabinda. Deputy Raúl Tati criticizes marketing and party posters, which do not solve problems. “The population is not going to eat posters. He is hungry and needs medication, ”he says.
The third political day of the secretariat of the Political Bureau of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) is taking place in the province of Cabinda, with the aim of assessing the political, economic and social situation in the province.
Despite being the province that produces much of Angola’s oil, Cabinda continues to experience political and social conflicts. And it is not with “marketing and MPLA posters” that the problems in Cabinda are solved, says in an interview with DW Africa Raúl Tati, an independent deputy supported by the parliamentary bench of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
“The population is hungry and needs medicines,” recalls Tati, who is a native of the enclave. The deputy also criticizes the Angolan President, João Lourenço, who accuses him of “simply ignoring the Cabinda problem”.
DW Africa: Under the presidency of João Lourenço, did the MPLA, the party in power in Angola, adopt a more conciliatory and dialogical policy?
Raúl Tati (RT): Unfortunately, João Lourenço’s presidency is really a presidency that does not meet Cabinda’s problems. I should even say that President José Eduardo dos Santos may have been a little more proactive in this regard, because although he did not agree on the strategies for solving the Cabinda problem and the conflict that is still in force, at least he admitted that there was a problem and in several interviews, at various times, was, in fact, talking about that issue of Cabinda’s problem. He even tried to use strategies to solve the problem, which did not work.
Now, President João Lourenço is simply ignoring this problem, trying to cover the sun with a sieve. For us, the MPLA remains a disappointment. Everything that the MPLA could be expected to do to improve things in Cabinda, has failed to do.
DW Africa: What can Cabinda residents gain from this meeting of the MPLA Political Bureau, which has the most prominent members of the party, starting with the vice president, Luísa Damião?
RT: I’m not sure what the agenda for this meeting in Cabinda is, but it is already beginning to be said that they will visit certain works, certain infrastructures that are under construction. They are always the same visits, which solve absolutely nothing.
DW Africa: And is there a presence of the MPLA? Are there many MPLA posters on the streets?
RT: Everything is full of posters, with the face of President João Lourenço. But it is clear that the population ignores this. This says absolutely nothing to the local population. The population will not eat posters, they will not eat flags. The population is hungry, needs medicines, medical assistance, needs everything that is basic to have a decent life. That is what is fundamental, it is not these posters, it is not all of this marketing that MPLA is doing that will solve the problems.
DW Africa: If I understand correctly, haven’t any past mistakes been corrected? Does the MPLA still not do a mea culpa?
RT: Not even the most colossal mistake has been corrected, not even the smallest ones. Therefore, we remain the same.
