afrol News, 9 September - Angola's main opposition party UNITA has conceded defeat in results of last week's parliamentary election, congratulating ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola on a landslide victory in the country's first elections in 16 years.

With more than three-quarters of ballots counted, MPLA has over 80 percent of votes, Angola's electoral committee said earlier yesterday, with UNITA having won about 10 percent of votes counted.

The commission also rejected a demand by Unita for the poll to be re-run in the capital Luanda, saying there was no evidence of alleged fraud.

"The leadership of Unita accepts the results of the election and congratulates the MPLA," said Unita leader, Isaias Samakuva.

MPLA spokesman has said that the results were in line with the expectations of the party. Norberto dos Santos told state-owned Jornal de Angola newspaper that party's success was due to dedication of their supporters.

"In every neighbourhood, in every village our supporters are there nearly every day like a priest at a Sunday service," he said.

The head of EU's observer mission to Angola Luisa Morgantini has stopped calling the elections free and fair, but said they represent an advance for democracy.

Yesterday European Union observer Richard Howitt alleged that vote-rigging was widespread in recent Angolan election.

Mr Howitt revealed to media that he received reports that members of ruling party offered bribes and that soldiers and MPLA officials were intimidating voters.

Some eight million voters were registered in the country and more than a quarter of them live in capital, Luanda.

MPLA, led by President Jose Eduarto Dos Santos, has ruled for the past 33 years. In the last elections in 1992, MPLA won 54 percent to Unita's 34 percent. Unita disputed those results and resumed the civil war. Presidential elections are scheduled for next year.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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