Angola's attorney general has opened an investigation into retired general Higino Carneiro, a potential rival to President João Lourenço in the upcoming leadership race for the ruling MPLA party. The probe focuses on allegations of embezzlement and money laundering during Carneiro's tenure as governor of Cuando-Cubango province from 2012 to 2016. On Wednesday, Carneiro issued a statement saying he would fully cooperate with authorities and uphold his personal integrity. The MPLA has governed Angola continuously since independence from Portugal in 1975, with its party leader typically becoming the presidential candidate. Lourenço, who is nearing the end of his second term, has indicated he intends to remain party leader at the December congress, sparking speculation about a possible third-term bid, which would require changes to the constitution. In the 2022 general elections, the MPLA secured just over 51 percent of the vote, its weakest electoral performance since independence. The opposition UNITA, a former rebel group that fought the MPLA during a 27-year civil war, won nearly 44 percent of the vote, a significant increase from its 27 percent share in 2017. The investigation into Carneiro comes amid growing internal party tensions and increasing public scrutiny over leadership succession.
A former general challenging the president for control of Angola's ruling party is under investigation for financial crimes committed during his time as a provincial governor. The timing of the probe, just as Lourenço moves to extend his grip on the MPLA, raises questions about whether justice is being applied uniformly or selectively. If Lourenço seeks a third term, it would mark a shift from constitutional term limits previously accepted by the party. This moment tests both the MPLA's internal democracy and the credibility of its anti-corruption stance.
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