Paulo Lukamba
Encyclopedia
General Paulo Armindo Lukamba "Gato" (born Armindo Lucas Paulo on May 13, 1954) led UNITA
, an anti-Communist rebel group that fought against the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War
, from the death of António Dembo
on March 3, 2002 until he lost the 2003 leadership election to Isaías Samakuva
.
Lukamba was born in the province of Huambo
, in central Angola
.
in Portugal
. He eventually served eight years in France
as UNITA's representative there.
From 1995 until the death of Jonas Savimbi
in February 2002, Lukamba served as UNITA's Secretary-General. Upon Savimbi's death and the subsequent death of Vice President António Dembo
just 10 days later from diabetes and battle wounds, Lukamba assumed control of the rebel group. Lukamba led UNITA in negotiations that ended the Angolan Civil War
in April 2002.
Lukamba led UNITA's political party until 2003 when Isaías Samakuva won the leadership election. Samakuva is the current President of UNITA.
Lukamba was the fifth candidate on UNITA's national list in the September 2008 parliamentary election. He was one of 16 UNITA candidates to win seats in the election.
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
, an anti-Communist rebel group that fought against the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
, from the death of António Dembo
Antonio Dembo
General António Sebastião Dembo served as Vice President and later President of UNITA, an anti-Communist rebel group that fought against the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War....
on March 3, 2002 until he lost the 2003 leadership election to Isaías Samakuva
Isaias Samakuva
Isaías Henrique Ngola Samakuva is an Angolan politician who has been the President of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola since 2003....
.
Lukamba was born in the province of Huambo
Huambo (province)
Huambo is a province of Angola. With an area of 34,270 km2 it is one of the geographically smaller provinces, situated in the Central Region approximately 450 km south east of the capital, Luanda....
, in central Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
.
History
Lukamba joined UNITA during the Carnation revolutionCarnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. He eventually served eight years in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as UNITA's representative there.
From 1995 until the death of Jonas Savimbi
Jonas Savimbi
Jonas Malheiro Savimbi was an Angolan political leader. He founded and led UNITA, a movement that first waged a guerrilla war against Portuguese colonial rule, 1966–1974, then confronted the rival MPLA during the decolonization conflict, 1974/75, and after independence in 1975 fought the ruling...
in February 2002, Lukamba served as UNITA's Secretary-General. Upon Savimbi's death and the subsequent death of Vice President António Dembo
Antonio Dembo
General António Sebastião Dembo served as Vice President and later President of UNITA, an anti-Communist rebel group that fought against the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War....
just 10 days later from diabetes and battle wounds, Lukamba assumed control of the rebel group. Lukamba led UNITA in negotiations that ended the Angolan Civil War
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
in April 2002.
Lukamba led UNITA's political party until 2003 when Isaías Samakuva won the leadership election. Samakuva is the current President of UNITA.
Lukamba was the fifth candidate on UNITA's national list in the September 2008 parliamentary election. He was one of 16 UNITA candidates to win seats in the election.