Malundo Kudiqueba
Prominent Angolan journalist and anti-corruption activist Rafael Marques de Morais has launched one of his most scathing critiques yet of President João Lourenço, stating unequivocally that the current head of state is turning out to be worse than his predecessor, José Eduardo dos Santos.
In a recent interview with Deutsche Welle – Portuguese for Africa, Marques didn’t mince words. He said that while he has no nostalgia for José Eduardo dos Santos, who he called the godfather of corruption in Angola, João Lourenço has gone even further in betraying the hopes of the Angolan people.
“João Lourenço has blood on his hands,” Marques declared, accusing the president of overseeing a regime marked by violence, repression, and state abuse. According to the journalist, the current government has not only failed to deliver good governance but has also become an obstacle to it.“He is an impediment to good governance,” said Marques bluntly.
His words carry weight. Rafael Marques has been internationally recognised for his courage in exposing systemic corruption and human rights violations in Angola, particularly during the Dos Santos era. But the turn his critique has taken under Lourenço signals growing disillusionment among civil society.
Once heralded as a reformer and anti-corruption crusader, João Lourenço promised to clean up Angola’s political system and dismantle the networks of enrichment built under his predecessor. Instead, Rafael Marques argues, he has replicated and intensified the same mechanisms, now with a fresh coat of propaganda and the same old elite pulling the strings.
“The vandals are in government,” Marques added — a stunning indictment of a regime that still claims to be on a reformist path.
His criticism comes amid growing concerns over poverty, inequality, and repression in Angola. Many citizens feel abandoned by a political elite more focused on self-enrichment and power consolidation than national development. Lourenço’s infamous remark that “hunger is relative” has only deepened the sense of disconnect between the presidency and the people.
For Marques, the problem is structural, but João Lourenço is no longer part of the solution — he is the problem. And with this statement, one of Angola’s most respected voices has made it clear: the dream of national renewal under João Lourenço has collapsed.
You can watch the full interview with Rafael Marques on DW – Portuguese for Africa.
Rotterdam, 02/08/2025
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