'Democratisation' and the Consolidation of Political Authority in Post-War Angola

Abstract

‘Hoje, quando ouvem que vai ter eleições, as pessoas vão comprar sal.’ Por quê? ‘A última vez fugimos sem sal.’1 When the people today hear that there'll be elections, they go and buy salt. Why? The last time, we fled and forgot to pack salt. ‘Votar significa mudar o rumo das coisas.’ 2 To vote means to change the path of things. The advent of peace in Angola, in 2002, raised hopes that the end of the civil war would entail a gradual opening of political space, and allow for increasing democratic plurality and civil liberties. This article argues that the government of José Eduardo dos Santos is actually reinforcing its control over all aspects of social, economic and political life. Although the elections of 5 and 6 September 2008 were considered ‘credible and transparent’ by international observer missions, the MPLA's triumph at the elections did not come as a surprise. This analysis of the voter registration process in 2007 shows how the government of Angola used discourses of democratisation as a resource to consolidate its power, extending its control over associations of civil society, thus paving the way for an overwhelming electoral victory. The article describes the government's strategies during the voter registration process, to see how – in this very specific field – the government's authority is enacted, and how the state extends its control over civil society organisations. It considers how these tendencies fit into the broader discussions about democracy and post-war transitions, and what the implications might be for donor assistance for democratisation.