Politiek-konstitusionele verandering in Angola en Mosambiek sedert onafhanklikwording : 'n vergelykende perspektief

Abstract

When Angola and Mozambique became independent in 1975 they were two of the last countries on the continent of Africa to do so. The objective of this study is to supply a critical assessment of constitutional changes caused by and reflected in the above political changes in Angola and Mozambique since independance. This is done by drawing a comparison between the political-constitutional changes in these two countries. Chapter one introduces the study. Chapter two looks at concepts like Marxism-Leninism and democracy and democratization in relation to Angola and Mozambique. In chapter three and four constitutional change during the period of Marxist-Leninist dominance in Angola and Mozambique is discuss ed respectively. Chapter five and six does the same, but for the period of the start of democratization, and until the end of 1994. Chapter seven draws some comparative conclusions about the process of change reflected in ·the constitutions of these countries. The most important findings are: • That political change in both countries was severely influenced by the civil wars that erupted shortly after independence. • Marxism-Leninism never evolved away from its first step wherein a vanguard or ruling elite comes to power, supposedly to govern in the interest of the working class. Both Angola and Mozambique were thus never really Marxist-Leninist. Rather the Constitutions of both countries between 1975 and 1989 reflect countries that are only socialistically orientated. • West-block international involvement delayed democratic and free-market reforms in both Angola and Mozambique. • The United Nations played a decisive role in the failure of the democratization process in Angola by not supplying enough logistical support to ensure that demobilization could be completed before the 1992 elections. In Mozambique they did however not make the same mistake, allowing for enough troop support and time to complete the process.