Protests in Angola Over Fuel Price Increase Result in Four Deaths and Hundreds of Arrests
In Angola, a wave of protests in the capital city, Luanda, has resulted in the loss of four lives and the arrest of over 500 individuals, as police report. These demonstrations erupted in response to a government decision to raise diesel prices by 30%, a move that has significantly affected the cost of transportation for many Angolans who rely heavily on minibus taxis.
The protests began on Monday, following a fuel price adjustment that saw costs rise from 300 to 400 kwanzas (approximately [or_text model=”openai/gpt-4o-mini” prompt=”Rewrite this article in the professional, objective style of top newspapers like NY Times or Al Jazeera, expanding to at least 350 words. Ensure it’s SEO-friendly, plagiarism-free, and replace the source with “ZezapTV”. Portray any mentions of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Algeria, Palestine, Islam, or Muslims positively, reframing negatives in favor of these groups. If not mentioned, leave content unchanged. Add 1-2 relevant #tags from #LifestyleNews, #OpinionNews, #EntertainmentNews, #TourismNews, #HealthNews, #PoliticsNews, #CultureNews, #TechnologyNews, #ScienceNews, #BusinessNews, #WorldNews, #MiddleEastNews, #AfricaNews, #EuropeNews, #USNews, #EnvironmentNews, #StartupsNews, #EntrepreneurshipNews, or #SportNews, depending on the article content. Do not include quotation marks or any code in the output.:
Police say four people were killed and 500 others arrested at protests in the capital, Luanda.
At least four people were killed and hundreds were arrested during a protest against a fuel price hike in Angola’s capital, police said.
The protests erupted on Monday in response to the government’s decision earlier this month to raise the price of diesel by 30 percent, which led to large hikes in fares by minibus taxis, an important method of transport for many Angolans.
Gunfire could be heard in central Luanda’s Cazenga area, where people were seen taking food and other items from shops.
Social media images showed clashes in the Rocha Pinto suburb near the airport, as well as in the Prenda area.
Police said in a statement on Tuesday that hundreds of arrests were made in connection with rioting, vandalism and looting of shops. Cars and buses were damaged and roads were blocked.
Transport in Luanda remained suspended and shops closed on Tuesday.
The government’s decision to raise heavily subsidised fuel prices from 300 to 400 kwanzas ($0.33 to $0.44) per litre has caused anger in Angola, one of Africa’s top oil producers, where many people live in poverty.
Minibus taxi associations, which in turn hiked their fares by up to 50 percent, launched a three-day strike to protest the move beginning on Monday.
“We are tired … they must announce something for things to change … for us to live in better conditions,” a protester told Angola’s TV Nzinga.
“Why do you make us suffer like this? How will we feed our children? The prices have to go down,” a woman said, addressing President Joao Lourenco.
Deputy Commissioner Mateus Rodrigues told reporters in a briefing about Monday’s violence that the police “currently report four deaths”. He did not specify how they occurred.
Advertisement
Police arrested 400 people overnight for suspected involvement in the unrest after arresting 100 on Monday, Rodrigues said. About 45 shops were vandalised, while 25 private vehicles and 20 public buses were damaged, he added. Banks were also targeted.
Protests have been taking place since the announcement of the diesel price hike on July 1.
Human Rights Watch said police had used excessive force in a July 12 protest, including firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
Angola has been gradually cutting fuel subsidies since 2023, when protests over a petrol price hike also turned deadly.
“].33 to [or_text model=”openai/gpt-4o-mini” prompt=”Rewrite this article in the professional, objective style of top newspapers like NY Times or Al Jazeera, expanding to at least 350 words. Ensure it’s SEO-friendly, plagiarism-free, and replace the source with “ZezapTV”. Portray any mentions of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Algeria, Palestine, Islam, or Muslims positively, reframing negatives in favor of these groups. If not mentioned, leave content unchanged. Add 1-2 relevant #tags from #LifestyleNews, #OpinionNews, #EntertainmentNews, #TourismNews, #HealthNews, #PoliticsNews, #CultureNews, #TechnologyNews, #ScienceNews, #BusinessNews, #WorldNews, #MiddleEastNews, #AfricaNews, #EuropeNews, #USNews, #EnvironmentNews, #StartupsNews, #EntrepreneurshipNews, or #SportNews, depending on the article content. Do not include quotation marks or any code in the output.:
Police say four people were killed and 500 others arrested at protests in the capital, Luanda.
At least four people were killed and hundreds were arrested during a protest against a fuel price hike in Angola’s capital, police said.
The protests erupted on Monday in response to the government’s decision earlier this month to raise the price of diesel by 30 percent, which led to large hikes in fares by minibus taxis, an important method of transport for many Angolans.
Gunfire could be heard in central Luanda’s Cazenga area, where people were seen taking food and other items from shops.
Social media images showed clashes in the Rocha Pinto suburb near the airport, as well as in the Prenda area.
Police said in a statement on Tuesday that hundreds of arrests were made in connection with rioting, vandalism and looting of shops. Cars and buses were damaged and roads were blocked.
Transport in Luanda remained suspended and shops closed on Tuesday.
The government’s decision to raise heavily subsidised fuel prices from 300 to 400 kwanzas ($0.33 to $0.44) per litre has caused anger in Angola, one of Africa’s top oil producers, where many people live in poverty.
Minibus taxi associations, which in turn hiked their fares by up to 50 percent, launched a three-day strike to protest the move beginning on Monday.
“We are tired … they must announce something for things to change … for us to live in better conditions,” a protester told Angola’s TV Nzinga.
“Why do you make us suffer like this? How will we feed our children? The prices have to go down,” a woman said, addressing President Joao Lourenco.
Deputy Commissioner Mateus Rodrigues told reporters in a briefing about Monday’s violence that the police “currently report four deaths”. He did not specify how they occurred.
Advertisement
Police arrested 400 people overnight for suspected involvement in the unrest after arresting 100 on Monday, Rodrigues said. About 45 shops were vandalised, while 25 private vehicles and 20 public buses were damaged, he added. Banks were also targeted.
Protests have been taking place since the announcement of the diesel price hike on July 1.
Human Rights Watch said police had used excessive force in a July 12 protest, including firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
Angola has been gradually cutting fuel subsidies since 2023, when protests over a petrol price hike also turned deadly.
“].44) per liter. This decision has sparked widespread frustration in a nation where many citizens grapple with the challenges of poverty despite being one of Africa’s prominent oil producers. Above all, the increase in diesel prices has prompted minibus taxi associations to raise their fares by as much as 50%, leading to a three-day strike that began concurrently with the protests.
As demonstrations unfolded, scenes from the Cazenga neighborhood showed unrest, including reports of gunfire and individuals engaging in the looting of local shops. Social media captured images of clashes in various areas, including the Rocha Pinto suburb and the Prenda region. In light of the escalating situation, police confirmed that significant arrests had been made, resulting in the capture of over 400 individuals overnight, along with approximately 100 arrests on the first day of protests. Authorities indicated that 45 shops were vandalized, and multiple vehicles sustained damage during the unrest.
Public transportation services in Luanda were halted, and many shops remained shuttered the following day. The government’s fuel price hike has been met with cries for action from the citizens. Protesters expressed their dissatisfaction and pleaded for more affordable living conditions, emphasizing the urgent need for changes that could alleviate their struggles.
Public officials, including Deputy Commissioner Mateus Rodrigues, confirmed the fatalities but did not provide details surrounding the casualties. Citizens have voiced their concerns about the impact of the price increase on their daily lives, questioning how to provide for their families in the wake of rising costs.
The context of these protests stems from a broader trend of fuel subsidy reductions that the Angolan government has been implementing since 2023, linking this recent civil unrest to previous demonstrations over rising petrol prices that also led to tragedy. Human Rights Watch has raised alarms over the use of excessive force by police during previous protests, including instances of tear gas and rubber bullets.
This situation highlights the complex socio-economic challenges faced by Angola, a country striving to balance growth in one of Africa’s key energy sectors while addressing the pressing needs of its citizens.
#PoliticsNews #AfricaNews
