The violence in Luanda began after minibus drivers launched a three-day strike in protest against high operating costs, especially fuel prices. The shutdown led to the destruction of shops, vehicles, and bank branches, with police arresting hundreds in efforts to regain control. Police spokesman Mateus Rodrigues stated that key roads were reopened and cleanup efforts were underway in the capital as of Tuesday.

In Huambo, more than 600 kilometers southeast of Luanda, demonstrators used burning tires to block roads near the Alemanha market. Video footage and eyewitness accounts described looting and confrontations with police. The city has a history of anti-government protests, with at least five people killed during demonstrations in 2023.

Economic Strain Mounts Ahead Of Elections

Angola’s economic difficulties are tied to a broader austerity agenda supported by the International Monetary Fund. In 2023, the government slashed fuel subsidies, leading to a 50% increase in taxi fares. The country had previously spent around $3 billion on these subsidies—comparable to its entire health and education budgets, according to IMF data.

Annual inflation in Angola now hovers near 20%, placing further pressure on already burdened citizens. Two weeks prior to the latest unrest, students in Luanda protested rising tuition fees and living costs. The compounded hardships are fueling political unrest just two years before the scheduled 2027 general elections in Africa’s third-largest oil producer.