African Kingdoms

Modern Angola
AD 1975 - Present Day
Incorporating Heads of State (1975-2025), People's Republic of Angola (1976-1992), Hereditary Heirs to the Kongo Kingdom (1975-2025), Republic of Angola (1992-On) & Restored Kingdom of Mbata (2008-2025)

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The modern republic of Angola lies in southern-central Africa, with Democratic Republic of the Congo (or DRC) on its northern border, Zambia to the east, and Namibia to the south. It also has an exclave province called Cabinda which is wedged onto the coast to the north. That lies sandwiched between Republic of the Congo to its north and DRC to its west and south. The Angolan capital is at Luanda, once one of the world's busiest slave-trading ports.

In a history which saw the usual nineteenth century colonial interference, Angola emerged mainly out of colonial Portuguese Angola. That had already absorbed several territories, including that of the Kongo kingdom which encompassed much of the lower Congo and today's northern Angola.

The region, and this native Bantu kingdom, was a Portuguese colonial territory during the late nineteenth century and much of the twentieth century. Before that, it had seven hundred years of recorded or remembered history, and up to three thousand years of settlement.

People who spoke ancient versions of the Kikongo tongue probably arrived in the region as part of the larger Bantu migrations, settling in what is now 'Republic of the Congo', DRC, Angola, and Gabon. The people here were practicing agriculture by at least 1000 BC, and were working iron by at least 400 BC.

Revolution and turmoil in Portugal between 1974-1975 meant that its overseas empire collapsed. Angola gained independence in 1975 as the 'People's Republic of Angola' without any official handover or preparation. A Cold War-era power struggle immediately ensued between the MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) backed by Cuba and the Soviet empire on the one hand, and the FNLA and Unita backed by South Africa and the USA on the other.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from the John De Cleene Archive, from Elite Women in the Kingdom of Kongo: Historical Perspectives on Women's Political Power, John Thornton (Journal of African History 47, 2006), from Mbanza Kongo/Sao Salvador: Kongo's Holy City, John Thornton, from Urban Africa; Histories in the Making (Africa's Urban Past), David M Anderson & Richard Rathbone (Eds), from Angola Rebel Reported Killed (Washington Post, 23 February 2002), and from External Links: British Foreign Office at Gov.UK, The New Yorker, and BBC Country Profiles, and Angola's veteran leader Dos Santos says to step down in 2018 (Reuters), and Africa's last 'eternal' president just bowed out (Face2FaceAfrica.com), and Imperial House of Kongo, and The Kingdom of Kongo (Once I was a Clever Boy), and Angola (Rulers.org), and Angola (Zárate's Political Collections (ZPC)), and Europe can count on Angola (Euronews).)

1975 - 1998

Continued as head of the Kongo royal house.

1975 - 1995

Sudden and unexpected independence from Portugal in 1975 is the touch-paper for a destructive civil war between the two main factions in the country, the MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) on one side, and the FNLA and Unita on the other. With interference mainly by Cuba (with fifty thousand troops in the country) and South Africa (with its army there), the civil war alternates between phases of relative calm and intense action.

The long-running civil war in Angola saw heavy weaponry being supplied to both sides by their respective sponsors, both of whom were similarly able to arm themselves thanks in part to the Cold War

At the same time as independence is proclaimed and civil war breaks out, the former colonial masters pull out of the country, taking everything that can be moved as Portuguese Angola is terminated.

The memoirs of Ryszard Kapuscinski, entitled Another Day of Life, describe efforts to cram the entire city into a series of wooden crates and ship most of it to Lisbon. Entire streets of abandoned, rusting cars are left behind, but just about everything else is removed.

The MPLA succeed in setting up a government of the 'People's Republic of Angola' by 1976, with Agostinho Neto as the country's first president. The rebel movements are driven into remote areas.

President Agostinho Neto led the MPLA's creation of the 'People's Republic of Angola' in 1975-1976, but his victory was relatively short after he died in office just three years later

1976 - 1979

President. MPLA. Died in office.

1976 - 2002

Unita founder and principal opposition figure. Killed.

1979 - 2017

Dictatorial, unelected 'president'. MPLA. 'Retired'. Died.

1991 - 1992

Moves are made to withdraw troops in 1991 after Unita and the MPLA government sign a peace accord in Lisbon. Cuba completes its own troop withdrawal from the country. However, the elections in 1992 are disputed by the defeated Jonas Savimbi, and fighting begins again. On 27 August 1992, the 'People's Republic of Angola' becomes the 'Republic of Angola'.

1998

Rwanda instigates a military rebellion on 2 August 1998 against its disobedient pick for president of Republic of the Congo. Both Rwanda and Uganda have forces inside the country, and they quickly control most of lower Congo, and the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

Following his death in battle in 2002, Jonas Savimbi would have to wait another seventeen years for a public funeral, after his Unita movement had been transformed into Angola's main opposition party

With them now approaching Kinshasa, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe all send in forces to defend the capital and the rebellious president. Some areas are freed of Rwanda-Uganda control, but the fighting does not end until 2001-2003.

1998 - 2002

The war in Angola flares up following tensions, but finally ends when Unita signs a ceasefire in 2002. The real end is apparently signalled when Unita founder Jonas Savimbi is killed in a gunfight after being shot several times in the head and body.

For the duration of the civil war he had proved himself to be a murderous despot who had embraced Maoist principles, despite being backed by the CIA and South African mercenaries. True peace finally arrives in Angola, notwithstanding a high crime rate and several kidnappings and murders of political opponents.

1999 - 2024

Head of the Kongo royal house. Born 1942.

2003

The republic's long-term president - Jose Eduardo dos Santos - appoints Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos as the first prime minister to assume the post in more then three years.

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos stood down in 2017 in favour of his party-nominated successor - a party which he briefly continued to lead after his 'retirement'

2008 - 2010

The ruling MPLA of which President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is a member wins the country's first parliamentary elections for sixteen years. The Angolan constitution began to recognise the authority of traditional monarchs in its articles 223 and 224, meaning that the kings of Mbata, amongst others, are restored to a degree of authority.

2008 - 2021

Restored king of Mbata. Held regional authority.

2010

A new constitution is approved in 2010 which substitutes direct election of the president with a system under which the top candidate from the largest party in parliament becomes president. It also strengthens the presidency's powers, prompting the Unita opposition to accuse the government of 'destroying democracy'.

Elements of the 'Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda' (Flec) attack a police convoy which is escorting Togo's national football team on its way to attend the Africa Cup of Nations, killing three team members.

Then-Manchester City FC star, Emmanuel Adebayor, was captain of the Togo football squad which suffered the Flec attack in 2010

2017

Jose Eduardo dos Santos abides by his recent announcement which have stated that he will step down from the role of president of Angola at the 2017 elections. He does so as his chosen successor, João Lourenço, replaces him in office.

2017 - On

Selected president by his predecessor.

2017 - 2018

Despite having stepped down as the country's president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos remains president of the MPLA and can therefore be seen as the power behind the 'throne' (presumably until his death on 2022).

Against this picture is a shock move which sees his two children being sacked by Lourenço from their important positions in charge of the country's wealth fund and the state oil firm.

President João Lourenço of Angola played a careful game of diplomacy in relation to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, offering Ukraine and Europe some political support while also offering its oil exports to these potential new buyers

Dos Santos resigns as president of the MPLA on 8 September 2018 while the country's government is given a breath of fresh air by the changes. This comes just four months after the formal coronation of Nzola Meso Antônio of Mbata.

2021 - On

First cousin of Nzola, once removed. King of Mbata.

2024 - On

Head of the Kongo royal house.