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World

The Latest: Angola ruling party claims majority in election

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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JOHANNESBURG – The Latest on Angola's election (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

Angola's ruling party says it has won a majority in the country's election with five million votes counted so far, opening the way for the defense minister to succeed President Jose Eduardo dos Santos after his 38-year rule.

The report Thursday by Portuguese news agency Lusa comes as the main opposition UNITA party alleges that police fired shots and made arrests near some polling stations Wednesday in Huambo city.

Election officials say the vote went smoothly despite minor problems.

About 9.3 million Angolans were registered to vote for the 220-member National Assembly; the winning party then selects the president. Dos Santos' chosen successor is Joao Lourenco, the defense minister and a former governor.

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11 a.m.

Angolans are awaiting the results of an election in which the defense minister is the front-runner to succeed President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who will quit after 38 years in power.

While election officials say Wednesday's vote went smoothly despite minor problems, the main opposition UNITA party alleges that police fired shots and made arrests near some polling stations as people voted in Huambo city.

The Portuguese news agency Lusa quotes a UNITA official, Liberty Chiaka, as saying police dispersed crowds because they didn't want people to wait to find out results at the polling stations.

In the 2012 election, UNITA lost to the ruling MPLA party, which denied allegations of voting irregularities.

Dos Santos' chosen successor is Joao Lourenco, the defense minister and a former governor.