Angolan former presidents will live comfortably in retirement after members of parliament pass a bill guaranteeing their benefits.
Some of the benefits include remuneration remitted monthly for the rest of their lives, immunity against prosecution and lifetime health insurance.
The former presidents’ monthly stipend will be equivalent to the basic salary of a sitting head of state.
The other privileges are state vehicles, a personal doctor, residence, private office and send-off package upon retirement. The former leaders of government will also be entitled to a right to secrecy.
The benefits have also been extended to former vice presidents of the Angolan nation.
Exceptions
However, impeached presidents or those who have willingly resigned from office will not benefit from the new law.
All the 175 members of parliament present in the National Assembly on Thursday voted to approve the bill proposed by Minister of State Adao de Almeida.
Angola has had three presidents since attaining independence in 1975. The first one (Agostino Neto) ruled between 1975 and 1979, when he died in office.
The second one (Jose Eduardo dos Santos) ruled between 1979 and 2017, when he fled to Spain after corruption investigations were levelled against him. Santos died in July 2022.
The third President of Angola is the incumbent, Joao Lourenco, who assumed office in September 2017.
With the new law in place, Lourenco is likely to become the first beneficiary of the former presidents’ retirement package.
His vice, Esperanca da Costa, is also likely to benefit from the new legislation. Angola has had three other deputy presidents who are unlikely to be beneficiaries.
