Florbela Malaquias Explained

Florbela Catarina "Bela" Malaquias (born 26 January 1959)[1] is an Angolan journalist, lawyer and politician who is leader of the Humanist Party of Angola.[2]

Office:President of the Humanist Party of Angola
Country:Angola
Termstart:21 December 2020
Alma Mater:Agostinho Neto University
Termstart1:24 August 2022
Office1:Member of the National Assembly
Birth Place:Luso, Portuguese Angola
Birth Date:26 January 1959
Otherparty:UNITA (until 1983)
Party:Humanist Party of Angola (since 2022)

Early life

Malaquias was born in Luso, Portuguese Angola. Despite growing up during a turbulent time in Angolan and African history, given the rise of several national liberation movements, she described her childhood as generally "very quiet" and "happy." Her father, Nelson, was a railway clerk for Benguela railway and was a supporter of Angolan independence. He was arrested several times by the colonial police, PIDE-DGS, for expressing these views, and was part of one of the first cells of UNITA in what is now Moxico Province. As her father was transferred from jail to jail, passing through Nova Lisboa and Missombo, Malaquias, her five brothers, and her mother, Amelia, eventually followed him when he was transferred to the open-air St. Nicholas prison centre in Namibe Province, a site often used to torture pro-independence activists and militants. Malaquias would also join UNITA early on in its history.

Career

Malaquias fought for UNITA during the Angolan Civil War, even authoring the anthem of the Angolan Women's League, UNITA's women's wing. However, she later came to hold a strong negative opinion of UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi starting in the 1980s, whom she later stated was a "tyrant and murderer" for orchestrating "Red September", overseeing the torture and killing of dozens of people, including many of his own officers, their wives and children, in an anti-witchcraft ritual.[3] She was the only female candidate for President of Angola in the 2022 Angolan general election.[4] [5] She came in 5th place, but was elected a member of the National Assembly.[6] Malaquias has a degree in law from Agostinho Neto University.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sul . Nelson Francisco . 2022-07-17 . Florbela Malaquias propõe "humanizar Angola" . 2022-08-29 . DW.
  2. Web site: 2022-08-26 . Bela Malaquias no Parlamento e o fim da CASA-CE . 2022-08-26 . Expansão . pt.
  3. Web site: TC legalizes Angolan Humanist Party, which becomes the 13th eligible to run in the elections. Angola Telegraph. May 30, 2022. August 28, 2022.
  4. Web site: 2022-08-01 . Convidado - Florbela Malaquias: A única mulher candidata a Presidente de Angola . 2022-08-26 . RFI . pt.
  5. Web site: AfricaNews . 2022-08-24 . Angola election: Vote counting begins after polls close . 2022-08-26 . Africanews . en.
  6. Web site: Angola Fala Só: Bilhete de Identidade de Bela Malaquias . 2022-08-26 . VOA . pt.
  7. Web site: Luamba . Manuel . 2022-06-22 . Quem é "Bela" Malaquias, a única mulher a liderar um partido em Angola? . 2022-08-30 . DW.