MPLA declares victory in Angola elections

LUANDA, Angola, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Angola's ruling party declared victory in a landslide Sunday in the south-central African country's first parliamentary election in 16 years.

The MPLA party, or the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, received more than 80 percent of the vote with nearly 80 percent of the votes counted in the two-day poll.

MPLA has ruled Angola since the former Portuguese colony's 1975 independence.

The closest opposition party, Unita, or the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, received about 10 percent, unofficial results indicated.

A total of 14 parties took part in the election.

The official vote tally is expected within 10 days.

Unita leader Isaias Samakuva said his party had filed a protest with the Electoral Commission over what he said were numerous flaws in the election. He said the election results might not accurately reflect the will of the people.

The Plataforma network of Angolan observer groups recorded six incidents of violence or intimidation and more than 400 other irregularities, mostly due to a lack of voting materials, but was generally satisfied with the voting, Voice of America reported.

Observers from the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community also expressed general satisfaction with the process despite the complaints, VOA reported.