afrol News, 14 January - Angolan legislators are expected to endorse the new constitution that will strengthen the three decades-long rule of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The vote comes earlier than expected as the nation reels from a deadly rebel attack last week. The vote was expected in March.

The endorsement scheduled for 21 January, will keep the president as head of government and the armed forces but replace the prime minister with a vice president, ensuring the presidency has greater control.

It will also let President dos Santos keep power without a direct ballot because the president is chosen as the leader of the party that wins the 80 percent of the vote for parliament last year.

However, critics have accused the government of trying to stifle public debate by holding the parliamentary vote while Angola is hosting the Africa Cup of Nations, the continent\'s premier football event.

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has been in power for 30 years, but has only faced an election once, in 1992 that triggered a new phase in Angola\'s civil war, with the country’s main opposition party Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) claiming widespread rigging.

The proposals to strengthen are opposed by the main opposition party, UNITA. Separatists vowed to continue attacks Wednesday after claiming two civilians had been killed by government forces in retaliation for the attack.

UNITA has been highly critical of the reform process and the indirect election idea, which President dos Santos suggested himself during a public press conference.

Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party won a landslide victory in 2008.

The lack of visibility over the presidency has been a source of political and economic uncertainty in the Southern African nation.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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