At the ceremony, which took place as part of Angola's 50th anniversary of independence, which will be celebrated on 11 November, João Lourenço was expected to award 247 individuals, 99 of whom were awarded the independence prize and 148 the peace and development prize. However, some names such as Ernesto Joaquim Mulato, Isaías Samakuva and José Samuel Chiwale were absent.
In addition to the absence of figures from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), members of the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), namely Lucas Ngonda and Ngola Kabangu, were also absent.
Posthumously, some personalities linked to UNITA, such as Almerindo Jaka Jamba, Jerónimo Elavoko Wanga, Samuel Chingunji and David Jonatão Chingunji, were honoured by their representatives who attended the ceremony.
In its statement commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the Day of Peace and National Reconciliation, which was celebrated this Friday, UNITA announced that it will not participate in the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of independence until Holden Roberto and Jonas Savimbi are recognised as fathers of independence and national heroes.
For UNITA, Holden Roberto, founding leader of the FNLA, and Jonas Savimbi, founder of UNITA, should be recognised by the Government as fathers of independence and national heroes, alongside Agostinho Neto, president of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
In its statement, UNITA considers it an injustice and that Angola's history is being "torpedoed" with the "continuous failure to recognize" the patriotic contribution of Holden Roberto and Jonas Savimbi alongside Agostinho Neto – the three signatories of the Alvor Agreement with the Portuguese colonial government on January 15, 1975, which contributed to Angola's independence.
This is the first list of personalities to be honored, made up of politicians, businesspeople, religious leaders and members of civil society.
