- Angolan government has mounted a massive campaign to disarm military personnel of weapons from their homes to ensure stability ahead of 5 September elections, state media reported.
The campaign to remove weapons follows President Jose Eduardo dos Santos announcement last week appealing to all political parties to maintain peace and stability at the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
Earlier this year, Angolan authorities also stepped up a campaign for voluntary handing in of weapons by civilians.
Angop news agency reported that General Francisco Furtado, chief of staff of Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), said he wanted military to keep a closer eye on weapons storage to ensure they are not used during a run to elections.
"It's not that the FAA is disarming its soldiers, but we need to have greater control of weaponry and guarantee greater security for the maintenance of peace and stability in the country," he said.
The general added that under Angolan law, armed forces and police have rights to weapons, but said all weapons belonging to the army should be stored at barracks, where they will not be misused.
A total of 5,198 candidates will contest 220 parliamentary seats, with more than eight million Angolans registered to vote.
Angola's last national election in 1992 was aborted when government distributed machine guns to civilians in the face of renewed fighting with National Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), an ex-rebel movement that is now the main opposition. Conflict between government and rebels of UNITA cost more than a million lives and destroyed country's infrastructure.
Peace was restored only after government troops killed UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi in 2002. UNITA which remains main opposition party, according to many political observers, is unlikely to unseat dos Santos's ruling MPLA, which currently holds 129 seats out of 220. UNITA has 70 seats.
Parliamentary poll will be followed by a presidential election in 2009, which Mr Dos Santos is expected to run.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.