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Locals in parts of Luanda continue to be fearful to talk freely about July’s events, when protests paralyzed urban life and turmoil shook several regions.

What began as a demand among transport workers to resist increased petrol costs turned into multiple days of conflict, causing at least 30 deaths and numerous individuals of arrests.

Roads were blocked with flaming tires, businesses were plundered, and clashes broke out between activists and law enforcement.

It represented one of the most impactful outbreaks of dissent since the conclusion of the internal conflict in 2002.

Fundamental Factors: Poverty and Inequality

Ahead of resource-abundant Angola commemorating 50 years of autonomy from Portugal, the movements emphasized persistent concerns about need and wealth gaps.

In neighborhoods where dissent was most intense, few people are willing to speak openly, worried about reprisals or harassment due to mass arrests during and after the events.

"Events might have gotten out of control, but we had to protest loudly to alert those in power," stated a 24-year-old informal seller from Luanda who chose to remain unnamed.

After exiting school before finishing high school, he now vends beverages along one of the capital's most traversed roads to support his family.

This individual represents countless people grappling to get by amid gleaming skyscrapers constructed by energy wealth.

Joblessness Among Young People Fuels Resentment

In his view, taking part in the initial phase of protests was a way to express that "we have a voice" and that individuals in his situation are entitled to a share of the resources of a country that is "rich for some, but miserable for numerous of us."

Joblessness among young adults has been a primary cause of protests in this demographically fresh state where the median average age is below 16.

Lack of work among young adults reaches 54%, as per government statistics. Out of numerous young people of working age, only 3,000,000 have jobs in the official workforce – implying they obtain regular wages and pay taxes.

In Angola's main cities, numerous unemployed youth who are no longer in school highlight the state's difficulty in meeting their ambitions.

"I merely trade on the street when I can obtain adequate cash to buy the soft drinks," the informal merchant noted. "At times when I make no sales because business is so sluggish. I and countless others live like this, and authorities ignore us. That’s why we must speak out."

Expert Analysis

Angolan sociologist Gilson Lázaro was not surprised by the July events. He believes that those at the center of the demonstrations were the "marginalized."

"These are young people, the majority, who have no alternatives but their lives. That is why they took to the streets without fear," he observed.

The demonstrations arose organically in some of Luanda's more crowded and underprivileged neighborhoods, where some residents do not have access to basic sanitation as well as other essential infrastructure.

Gradually, protesters moved into the capital's central roads, causing disorder and "revealing a social problem that has been present for ages but which the leadership has opted to neglect," according to the sociologist.

"In the past period, Angola has been heading towards a profound social, economic, and, primarily, governmental credibility crisis. The fundamental issue is the defective way the country has been run since the end of the civil war in 2002," Dr. Lázaro commented.

Official Reaction

State leadership has taken a contrary perspective.

A government official did not acknowledge a inquiry for input on the demonstrations and their aftermath, but in a official declaration, President João Lourenço made his views clear.

He denounced the protests as "deeds committed by unaccountable people, directed by unpatriotic domestic and international organizations through social media, bringing sorrow, destruction of public and private property, reduced access to essential goods and services, and layoffs for Angolans."

Financial Struggles

Regardless of multiple pledges to broaden economic sectors, Angola remains reliant upon oil and gas, which are by far the country's main exports as well as the primary provider of state income.

"Natural resources are good, but the issue lies in how income are utilized," local financial expert Francisco Paulo commented. "If Angola followed examples like Norway or Saudi Arabia, using oil wealth to enhance non-oil sectors and improve its human capital, it would be a benefit. Unfortunately, revenues here are wasted on superficial expenses with no tangible gain."

After the exit of former President Dos Santos, Angola underwent five consecutive years of economic decline between 2017 and 2021.

Expansion only resumed in 2022, largely driven by non-oil sectors. But current progress has had little impact on most Angolans' lives.

In a report this year, the World Bank estimated that more than a 33% of the population survive on less than $2.15 per day.

It said that while the economy was growing, it was not keeping up with population growth, meaning that, on average, people were becoming more impoverished.

Future Outlook

With national festivities nearing, plans including cultural events, state honors, and a soccer game involving renowned athlete Messi are in full swing.

But young scholar Lea Komba questions the old socialist slogan "single populace, unified country," popularized during the one-party Marxist-Leninist regime of the late 1970s.

"That is incorrect that we all share the same reality. There is massive disparity. Young people in underserved regions are almost condemned to extreme poverty, without quality education or decent jobs, even if they study hard and earn a degree," she remarked.

"These young people think with their basic needs, because food insecurity leaves them with no alternatives. They are the ones who filled the streets."

She added that "officials must look at root causes, not just outcomes."

"Vandalism was simply the way young people found to generate focus from those in power."

She anticipates that there {could