Luanda, Aug. 11, 2025 (Lusa) - The Council of State of the Republic of Angola on Monday called on the public to maintain a civic and orderly stance, guided by “the responsible and conscious exercise” of the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution and the law.
The final communiqué issued after the extraordinary meeting of the Council of State, convened by the Angolan president, João Lourenço, with the sole item on the agenda being the public security situation in Angola, also calls on citizens to respect the authorities and avoid "spreading disinformation on digital platforms" in order to safeguard the well-being of all.
The extraordinary meeting aimed to analyse the events that took place between 28 July and 1 August in the provinces of Luanda, Huíla, Malanje, Benguela, Cuango, Icolo and Bengo and Bengo, marked "by acts of vandalism, rioting, insurgency against the forces of law and order, as well as looting of public and private establishments".
The document stresses that the members of this advisory body to the country's president were informed that the public security situation in the country is stable and that services temporarily interrupted due to acts of vandalism "are now fully operational, despite the persistence of disinformation and disguised incitement to violence on social media, a scenario that tends to create panic and a feeling of insecurity among the public".
“The Council of the Republic encourages the police and security bodies to continue with measures to guarantee public order, tranquillity and security and to maintain social peace”, the statement concludes.
The Council of the Republic includes the Vice-President of the Republic, the speaker of parliament, the attorney general, leaders of political parties with seats in parliament, the vice-president of the ruling MPLA party and prominent figures from civil society.
Last week, Angola experienced acts of vandalism, violence and looting following a strike called by taxi drivers to protest against rising fuel prices and the consequent increase in public transport fares.
This morning, the spokesperson for the national police, Mateus Rodrigues, in his report on the public security situation in the country, assured that it remains stable, with institutions functioning normally and the free movement of people and goods.
According to Mateus Rodrigues, particularly in Luanda, the capital of Angola, “the situation is equally calm, traffic is flowing very normally and taxis and public transport are visible”.
“The Angolan police reiterates that there is no cause for concern and assures that it is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens, respecting the rights, freedoms and guarantees enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Angola,” said Mateus Rodrigues.
The police spokesman urged citizens to beware of false alarms, especially on social media and digital platforms, whose aim is to spread disinformation and create a feeling of fear and insecurity within communities, he warned.
During the riots, according to police data, 30 deaths, more than 200 injuries and more than 1,500 arrests were recorded.
NME/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
