MPLA: Isaias Kalunga embarks on ambitious US tour

摘要

The very ambitious newly elected head of the Conselho Nacional da Juventude, the youth wing of the ruling MPLA, Isaias Kalunga, 34, has set off for the United States to meet the new generation of Donald Trump's Republican Party. Born in 1986 in Jamba, Kuando-Kubango province, Kalunga is the nephew of Unita founder Jonas Savimbi. He began working within Unita before publicly rejecting Savimbi's legacy and joining the MPLA in 2012, gradually rising through its ranks. He enjoys the discreet support of President João Lourenço. By doing the rounds of rising Republican stars and affirming his own ambitions, Kalunga could also prove useful to Lourenço, who has yet to see the fruits of his goodwill towards the Trump administration (Africa Intelligence, 26/06/19) and fears he will not receive an invitation to the Oval Office before the US presidential election in November. Despite the close ties between first lady Ana Dias Lourenço and former US ambassador to Luanda Helen Meagher (Africa Intelligence, 22/05/20) and the lobbying efforts of lawfirm Squire Patton Boggs (Africa Intelligence, 05/02/20), Lourenço has only managed to clinch a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.