José Eduardo dos Santos

Saturnino replaced the billionaire Isabel dos Santos as CEO of the state oil company in late 2017 only two months after President João Lourenço took office in what was then seen as one of his boldest moves against the business and patronage network built during the 37-year reign of his predecessor José Eduardo dos Santos (AC Vol 58 No 24 Dos Santos clan targeted)...

João Lourenço will consolidate his power in 2019 cashing in on his popularity and position as President of both the country and the ruling Movimento Popular de Libertacão de Angola (MPLA) to weed out the last tendrils of the network of influence of his predecessor José Eduardo dos Santos...

   Yet Kabila may also choose to consider the experience of his long-ruling neighbour José Eduardo dos Santos who carefully picked Joao Lourenço to succeed him after extensive and meticulous deliberation only to find his legacy and network torn to shreds within months...

President João Lourenço excited Angolans with a high-profile anti-corruption campaign that targeted the extended family of former President José Eduardo dos Santos but now cracks are appearing in the squeaky-clean facade as impatience spreads through the streets of Luanda...

Lourenço may see the dispute as part of the legacy of ex-President José Eduardo dos Santos which he is so eagerly dismantling...

As his family's business interests shrink and his political supporters decamp José Eduardo dos Santos is set to lose the last redoubt of the empire he built over 38 years – the presidency of the ruling Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola...

Shortly before that on 10 January Gabon's security services arrested General Faustin Munene Chief of Staff of the Congolese army under Laurent Kabila who also served in the Angolan armed forces and married a niece of former President José Eduardo dos Santos...

It took less than two months in office for President João Lourenço to take a direct swipe at Isabel dos Santos Africa's richest woman and the daughter of his predecessor José Eduardo dos Santos...

President João Lourenço's government has removed José Filomeno dos Santos (aka Zenu) son of former President José Eduardo dos Santos from direct control of Angola's US$5 billion sovereign wealth fund...

Those looking for signs that Lourenço intends to cut the power of the old guard and particularly the family of his immediate predecessor José Eduardo dos Santos say they see signs of incremental change...