Elections in Angola on Wednesday have been described as the most disputed in the country's history.
More than 14 million Angolans are headed to the polls to chose between the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party and the main opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
The fight against poverty and job creation are the main election issues, with eight political parties battling for power.
On the streets of the capital Luanda, voters say they are tired and they want to see change. Despite the country's natural resources, oil and diamonds, 44 percent of people continue to live below the poverty line.
Ruling MPLA candidate and incumbent President Joao Lourenço, who is vying for a second term, and UNITA candidate Adalberto Costa Júnior are considered the frontrunners.
An unfair contest?
Nelson Domingos, a Luanda-based political analyst tells RFI the 24 August vote will be the tightest in the country's history, but the outcome will "most likely" favour the government.
However the results and methodology produced by the Angola Mude civic movement and other institutions give a considerable margin of victory of between 53 and 59 percent to UNITA and the opposition umbrella group United Patriotic Front (FPU).
Its projected results for the MPLA oscillate between 20 and 30 percent.
The credibility of this election is another great challenge, with civil society and political parties complaining of flaws in the electoral process that allow for "ghost voters".
In a recent report, the Institute for Security Studies called on the international community to be aware of the risks of violence once results are made public.
"The citizens, aware that that outcome does not reflect reality, will be sure to protest,” Domingos added.
