Angola’s election commission dismisses opposition complaints

JOHANNESBURG – Angola’s election commission has dismissed complaints by opposition parties that questioned provisional results declaring the ruling party to be the winner of the Aug. 23 vote.

The Portuguese news agency Lusa reported Wednesday that the election commission concluded that opposition complaints of alleged irregularities were aimed at disrupting the “stability of the electoral process.”

The commission last month said the ruling MPLA party won the national election but lost ground to the opposition in the oil-rich but impoverished southern African nation.

The results set the stage for Defence Minister Joao Lourenco to replace President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has ruled for 38 years and is expected to remain head of the ruling party.