Luanda - Construction work on the new headquarters of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), in Luanda's Coqueiros neighbourhood, is due to be concluded by April 2022, when it is due to be inaugurated.
The information was provided Saturday during a visit by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, to the site where he was informed of the progress of the work, which began in September of last year.
In order to support the work, the Angolan government authorised, in July 2020, USD 44,7 million spending.
Besides the construction of the new headquarters, that expenditure also includes the building the National Scrutiny Centre.
According to the director of the Office of Special Works (GOE), Leonel Cruz, 60 percent of the work has been concluded and he gave assurances that the facilities would be equipped and furnished by April of next year.
He said that the building, under construction on the site of the old soft drinks factory next to the Coqueiros stadium, would have a data centre, amphitheatre, offices for the chairman of the CNE and the 16 commissioners of the institution.
The facility, which is being built by the Mitrelli Group Ltd, will also have rooms for the plenary, meetings and hearings, as well as parking for 108 vehicles.
Leonel Cruz said that the front facade of the building, which is classified as cultural heritage, would not be altered.
He said that when everything was concluded the CNE would create 216 jobs, whilst the polling centre would create 846 more.
The National Electoral Commission currently operates on three floors of a building on Revolução de Outubro street, in Luanda, and scrutinises elections in rented premises.
In the previous elections, held in September 2017, the CNE rented a space at the Talatona Convention Centre, for the processing and scrutiny of data, due to the fact that the current facilities did not have the structure for that purpose.
The Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission, Manuel Pereira da Silva, said that due to the amplitude and size of the works it will be a building where all the technical and administrative services of the institution will fit.
Manuel Pereira da Silva said he was satisfied with the investment made by the Angolan State in the institution, which in his opinion "legitimizes the political power in Angola".
