Angola achieved her independence through armed struggle from Portuguese in June 1976. Political movement in Angola started in 1950’s by Africa ns elites. The elites were against assimilation and promoted Africa n culture and dignity. Before Angola use armed struggle in 1961. therefore, many political parties were formed as follows:
PCA (The Angola communist party)
Was formed by educated people who protested against the Portuguese and praised African culture and dignity, in 1955. The party was firmly supported by European civil servants who were members of illegal Portuguese community party in Luanda.
PLUA (Parvindo Deluta Das Africans De Angola)
Began in 1955 after PCA joined with other racial groups. In 1956, this party insisted the struggle for independence in Angola.
MPLA (Movemento Popular De Libertacao de Angola)
This was created in Luanda, the capital of Angola in December 1956. The party was a result of the union of PLUA and other small groups. It was made up of members from privileged ASSIMILADOS who dwell in town areas. The armed struggle started in Angola in 1961 when MPLA attacked police station in Luanda. In 1962 Feute National de Libertacao de Angola (FNLA) was made in Kinshasa Zaire. UNITA (Unaio Nacional Para Independencia Total de Angola) under Jonas Savimbi and FNLA remained under Holden Roberts as the president and Augustino Neto as the vice president.
In 1974, FNLA and UNITA and MPLA met in Mombasa Kenya under the chairmanship of Jommo Kenyatta. They agreed to end their hostilities and propaganda which hindered unity and cooperation among them. In 1975, the three liberation movement leaders agreed with Portuguese leaders to begin a transition government; composed of representatives from all three parties headed by the Portuguese ministers for overseas territory, aimed at Angola to be independent in November 11th 1975. Despite all these, disagreements and fighting continues among liberation movements. Funny enough the Portuguese colonialists left Angola for Portugal without handling of power to any liberation movement.
MPLA, the largest and strongest movement took over the leadership in Angola something which created a lot of conflicts among these liberation movements. The situation became worse when the fascist Boers of south Africa invaded Angola in order to support UNITA. In June 1976 MPLA forces got assistance from Cuban revolutionary troops and the USSR and managed to defeat all opposition forces. Hence MPLA held state power of Angola under Augustino Neto.
Factors which delayed majority rule in Angola
1. Nature of the colonial masters (Portuguese colonial policies), Angola was regarded as overseas provinces of Portugal. Hence the Portuguese were not ready to peacefully grant freedom to Angolans.
2. Disunity among Angolans. Liberation movements such as MPLA, FNLA and UNITA did not cooperate though all parties aimed at bringing the majority rule. The hatred among them delayed independence in Angola.
3. The presence of many settlers. There were many Portuguese settlers who invested in mines, agriculture and industries. Settlers were cooperating with t heir government to delay majority rule in Angola so as to consolidate exploitation.
4. Portugal was a poorest country in Europe, although other Europeans had already decided to grant independence to their colonies, Portugal still depended on her colonies for their resource and they thought that granting independence to her colonies was like digging grave for their own burial. Hence the Angolans independence delayed because the Portuguese were unwilling to grant independence to their colonial subjects.
5. Poor weapons. The guerrilla fighter lacked the necessary materials such as clothes and guns because all major means of production were under the Portuguese and most of Angolans were poor.
6. Dictatorship system. The Portuguese didn’t allow the use of diplomacy. Hence fighting was the only way to gain independence in Angola.
7. Imperialist support of some movements. UNITA for instance, was supported by the Boers government of South Africa and USA. This retarded the MPLA from achieving early, the independence for the people of Angola. The demand for raw materials. The Portuguese were still seeking raw materials, for the development of their country products, minerals, and oil.
