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Russia Today
01-08-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Fuel price hike sparks deadly unrest in Angola
At least 22 people, including a police officer, were killed and nearly 200 others injured during violent protests in Angola this week over a fuel price hike, according to the southern African nation's interior minister, Manuel Homem. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a council of ministers meeting on Wednesday, the official said 1,214 protesters had been arrested for 'acts of vandalism and looting.' Homem reported that 66 stores and 25 vehicles were vandalized across the country, while banks, major supermarkets, and wholesale and retail warehouses were looted. The violence broke out earlier this week after minibus taxi associations began a three-day strike opposing the government's decision to increase diesel prices by one-third, a move aimed at cutting costly subsidies and strengthening public finances. Protesters took to the streets in the capital, Luanda, with sporadic gunfire reportedly heard across the city on Monday and Tuesday. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces were also reported in the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, and Huila. 'The acts carried out by the protesters, worsened by the presence of infiltrators with criminal intentions, show that the phenomenon has gone beyond a mere demand and now represents a threat to public order,' the Angolan presidency said in a post on Facebook on Wednesday. Interior Minister Homem warned that while demonstrations are permitted by law, any descent into vandalism will be met with a firm and appropriate response. Angola, Africa's second-largest oil producer after Nigeria, has been gradually phasing out fuel subsidies since 2023, when a gasoline price increase sparked deadly protests, according to Reuters. The government's move is said to be in response to recommendations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to direct more public funds toward health and education. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu tried a similar move in his country in 2023, scrapping fuel subsidies shortly after taking office as part of reforms to reduce the budget deficit, triggered widespread protests amid a worsening cost-of-living crisis. The West African country's labor union has blamed the loan policies of the IMF and the World Bank for deepening the nation's economic troubles.
The South African
31-07-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Angola fuel protests leave 22 dead amid nationwide unrest
The Angolan government confirmed 22 fatalities and 197 injuries as violent protests swept the country this week. The crisis began on 28 July 2025 when diesel prices increased from 300 to 400 kwanzas (R5.93-7.90) per litre. This hike triggered a three-day nationwide taxi strike that quickly escalated. Protests spread rapidly from Luanda to at least six provinces. Reports of looting and violent confrontations with security forces emerged nationwide. Police and military were heavily deployed, and sporadic gunfire echoed through major cities. Interior Minister Manuel Homem confirmed that one police officer was among the dead. Security forces arrested over 1,200 people and documented damage to 66 shops and 25 vehicles. The presidency described the unrest as a 'climate of widespread insecurity,' highlighting the crisis's severity. The diesel price increase comes amid worsening economic conditions. Angola's inflation rate neared 20% in June, while the unemployment rate remains below 30%. According to the Ministry of Finance, fuel subsidies previously consumed approximately 4% of the country's GDP. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has encouraged Angola to reduce subsidies to redirect funds towards health and education. President João Lourenço defended the reforms as necessary for fiscal discipline and alignment with global economic standards. However, as of 2025, Angola's national minimum wage remains below $75 (R1 350) per month, depending on the sector, with many informal workers earning significantly less. Many citizens feel the reforms have deepened economic hardship. This frustration has spilt into the streets, where protests reflect mounting public anger over stagnant reforms and deteriorating living standards. Opposition parties, including the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and Bloco Democrático, blamed government policies for triggering the crisis. Both described the situation as a 'severe economic and social crisis.' Human Rights Watch accused police of excessive force during earlier peaceful protests. Civil society organisations criticised the government for arresting protest organisers and demanding accountability. The Angolan National Association of Taxi Operators (ANATA) called for a strike protesting fuel price increases and distanced itself from the vandalism and looting. Activists warned of 'social exhaustion,' especially among youth with limited opportunities. Local media documented grieving families and looted supermarkets in Luanda, capturing the human toll of the unrest. As tensions continue, security forces patrol Luanda's streets while public transport gradually resumes after a two-day halt. Many shops remain closed, and long queues formed at petrol stations amid ongoing uncertainty. The ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party cautioned young people against joining protests during Angola's upcoming 50th independence celebrations. Meanwhile, state-controlled media faced criticism for initially downplaying the demonstrations. Investors are watching Angola's subsidy reforms closely as a test of the country's fiscal responsibility. Yet, the presidency has not announced immediate relief measures or dialogue initiatives with protest leaders. Observers suggest Angola's urgent challenge lies in balancing economic reform with maintaining social stability. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
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First Post
31-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Africa: Fuel hike sees massive protests in Angola, 22 killed, including a police officer
At least 22 people have died in Angola after two days of violent protests and looting sparked by a fuel price hike. The unrest, led by striking taxi drivers, marks one of the worst episodes of public disorder in years. read more Two days of unrest and looting in Angola during a protest against a fuel price hike claimed the lives of 22 people, the government said Wednesday, as a tense calm returned to the capital. Violence erupted on Monday, the first day of a strike called by taxi drivers to protest the July 1 increase in fuel costs in the oil-rich nation where millions live in poverty. It was some of the worst unrest in several years in the Portuguese-speaking southern African country, which has been governed by the MPLA party since 1975. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sporadic gunfire was heard across Luanda and several other cities on Monday and Tuesday as people looted shops and clashed with police. 'We regret 22 deaths, including one police officer,' Interior Minister Manuel Homem told reporters on the sidelines of a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Joao Lourenco. Nearly 200 people were injured in the violence, he said, and more than 1,200 people had been arrested. People raided supermarkets and warehouses, making off with food and other supplies, and causing damage to 66 shops, Homem said. The streets of Luanda were tense and largely empty Wednesday, although there were some queues outside petrol stations and some shops, AFP reporters said. There was a heavy presence of security forces. Many shops remained closed, but public transport slowly resumed after a two-day standstill. With the protests having spread outside the capital, a statement after the ministers' meeting said vandalism and rioting had 'triggered a climate of widespread insecurity'. It said 'elements with criminal intentions' had turned the demonstration into a 'threat to security'. Police in the southern city of Lubango confirmed separately that a police officer had shot and killed a 16-year-old on Tuesday. He was part of a group attempting to invade the local headquarters of the ruling MPLA party, a statement said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD - 'Deep insecurity' - The strike was the latest in a series of protests this month after the price of fuel was hiked from 300 to 400 kwanzas ($0.33 to $0.43) a litre on July 1. The government's move to lower its heavy fuel subsidies reportedly followed International Monetary Fund calls for more public money to be spent on health and education. But it has angered many in the country of 36 million people, already under pressure from inflation of around 20 percent and an unemployment rate of nearly 30 percent. 'The government seems to ignore its population,' Luanda resident Daniel Pedro, 32, told AFP. 'They say that youth is the future of tomorrow, yet today it is unemployed. I have a deep feeling of insecurity,' the teacher said. Inflation and limited growth 'are likely to keep poverty rates high, around 36 percent by 2026, underscoring the need for a stronger social safety net and more development spending', according to the World Bank. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At a demonstration of around 2,000 people in Luanda on Saturday, protesters condemned the fuel price hike but also brandished signs denouncing MPLA 'corruption' or discontent with Lourenco, who was re-elected for a second five-year term in 2022. There had been similar protests the two previous weekends. In a joint statement Wednesday, the opposition UNITA and Bloco Democratico parties said Angola was in a 'severe economic and social crisis' that was a result of government policies 'disconnected from the country's reality'. Amnesty International and other rights groups have accused the police of using excessive force against protesters in Angola, which suffered through a 1975-2002 civil war and almost four decades of repression under former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos.
Kuwait Times
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
22 killed in Angola fuel hike unrest
LUANDA: Two days of unrest and looting in Angola during a protest against a fuel price hike claimed the lives of 22 people, the government said Wednesday, as a tense calm returned to the capital. Violence erupted on Monday, the first day of a strike called by taxi drivers to protest the July 1 increase in fuel costs in the oil-rich nation where millions live in poverty. It was some of the worst unrest in several years in the Portuguese-speaking southern African country, which has been governed by the MPLA party since 1975. Sporadic gunfire was heard across Luanda and several other cities on Monday and Tuesday as people looted shops and clashed with police. 'We regret 22 deaths, including one police officer,' Interior Minister Manuel Homem told reporters on the sidelines of a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Joao Lourenco. Nearly 200 people were injured in the violence, he said, and more than 1,200 people had been arrested. The unrest was marked by massive looting in which people raided supermarkets and warehouses, making off with food and other supplies. Sixty-six shops were damaged, Homem said. The streets of Luanda were tense and largely empty Wednesday, although there were some queues outside petrol stations and shops, AFP reporters said. There was a heavy presence of security forces. Many shops remained closed, but public transport had slowly resumed in some areas after a two-day standstill. With the protests having spread outside the capital, a statement after the ministers' meeting said vandalism and rioting had 'triggered a climate of widespread insecurity'. It said 'elements with criminal intentions' had turned the demonstration into a 'threat to security'. Police in the southern city of Lubango confirmed separately that a police officer had shot and killed a 16-year-old on Tuesday. The teenager was part of a group attempting to invade the headquarters of the ruling MPLA party, a statement said. The strike was the latest in a series of protests this month after the price of fuel was hiked from 300 to 400 kwanzas ($0.33 to $0.43) a liter on July 1. The government's move to lower its heavy fuel subsidies reportedly followed International Monetary Fund calls for more public money for health and education. But it has angered many in the country of 36 million people, already under pressure from inflation of around 20 percent while nearly 30 percent are unemployed. High inflation and limited growth 'are likely to keep poverty rates high, around 36 percent by 2026, underscoring the need for a stronger social safety net and more development spending', according to the World Bank. At a demonstration of around 2,000 people in Luanda on Saturday, protesters condemned the fuel price hike but also brandished signs denouncing MPLA 'corruption' or discontent with the rule of Lourenco, who was re-elected for a second five-year term in 2022. There had been similar protests the two previous weekends. In a joint statement Wednesday, the opposition UNITA and Bloco Democratico parties said Angola was in a 'severe economic and social crisis' that was a result of government policies 'disconnected from the country's reality'. Amnesty International and other rights groups have accused the police of using excessive force against protesters in Angola, which suffered through a 1975-2002 civil war and almost four decades of repression under former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos. - AFP
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Unrest over fuel price hike leaves at least 22 dead in Angola
The Angolan government on Wednesday said that at least 22 people died as an increase in fuel costs in the oil-rich southern African nation caused two days of violent unrest, leaving hundreds injured and over 1,200 people detained. Two days of unrest and looting in Angola during a protest against a fuel price hike claimed the lives of 22 people, the government said Wednesday, as a tense calm returned to the capital. Violence erupted on Monday, the first day of a strike called by taxi drivers to protest the July 1 increase in fuel costs in the oil-rich nation where millions live in poverty. It was some of the worst unrest in several years in the Portuguese-speaking southern African country, which has been governed by the MPLA party since 1975. Sporadic gunfire was heard across Luanda and several other cities on Monday and Tuesday as people looted shops and clashed with police. "We regret 22 deaths, including one police officer," Interior Minister Manuel Homem told reporters on the sidelines of a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Joao Lourenco. Read moreThousands take to streets of Angolan capital Luanda in anti-government protest Nearly 200 people were injured in the violence, he said, and more than 1,200 people had been arrested. People raided supermarkets and warehouses, making off with food and other supplies, and causing damage to 66 shops, Homem said. The streets of Luanda were tense and largely empty Wednesday, although there were some queues outside petrol stations and some shops, AFP reporters said. There was a heavy presence of security forces. Many shops remained closed, but public transport slowly resumed after a two-day standstill. With the protests having spread outside the capital, a statement after the ministers' meeting said vandalism and rioting had "triggered a climate of widespread insecurity". It said "elements with criminal intentions" had turned the demonstration into a "threat to security". Police in the southern city of Lubango confirmed separately that a police officer had shot and killed a 16-year-old on Tuesday. He was part of a group attempting to invade the local headquarters of the ruling MPLA party, a statement said. 'Deep insecurity' The strike was the latest in a series of protests this month after the price of fuel was hiked from 300 to 400 kwanzas ($0.33 to $0.43) a litre on July 1. The government's move to lower its heavy fuel subsidies reportedly followed International Monetary Fund calls for more public money to be spent on health and education. But it has angered many in the country of 36 million people, already under pressure from inflation of around 20 percent and an unemployment rate of nearly 30 percent. "The government seems to ignore its population," Luanda resident Daniel Pedro, 32, told AFP. "They say that youth is the future of tomorrow, yet today it is unemployed. I have a deep feeling of insecurity," the teacher said. Inflation and limited growth "are likely to keep poverty rates high, around 36 percent by 2026, underscoring the need for a stronger social safety net and more development spending", according to the World Bank. At a demonstration of around 2,000 people in Luanda on Saturday, protesters condemned the fuel price hike but also brandished signs denouncing MPLA "corruption" or discontent with Lourenco, who was re-elected for a second five-year term in 2022. There had been similar protests the two previous weekends. In a joint statement Wednesday, the opposition UNITA and Bloco Democratico parties said Angola was in a "severe economic and social crisis" that was a result of government policies "disconnected from the country's reality". Amnesty International and other rights groups have accused the police of using excessive force against protesters in Angola, which suffered through a 1975-2002 civil war and almost four decades of repression under former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)
