20120728
AFP
Angola's main opposition leader on Friday unveiled his party's manifesto for next month's elections, promising the oil-rich nation democracy for the first time in over three decades.

"Angola awaits the coming of democracy after over 30 years. Angolans want a republic and not a monarchy where power is concentrated in the hands of a few," Isaias Samakuva, the leader of Unita told party activists at a Luanda hotel.

Unita, which waged a brutal civil war until its leader Jonas Savimbi was killed 10 years ago, is now the main opposition party but won only 10 percent of the vote in the last polls in 2008.

Despite frustrations with President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, whose family has accumulated a multi-million-dollar fortune, Unita has battled to win over public opinion.

Samakuva said that if elected on August 31, he would embark on a national emergency programme to tackle what he said were the country's five biggest headaches -- unemployment, housing, health care, education and social security.

His promised to form a government based on competence and not party affiliation.

The Unita leader also called for presidential and legislative elections to be organised separately in Africa's second oil producer.

Angola's new constitution abolished direct presidential elections in favour of a party list system.

Dos Santos, Africa's second-longest serving leader with 32 years in power, is expected to sail to victory.

The general elections will be only the third since Angola gained independence from portugal in 1975. In 2008, Dos Santos won over 80 percent of the vote.