Holden Roberto, an Angolan independence leader, played a crucial role in the fight against Portuguese colonialism. As one of the fathers of Angola’s independence, he founded the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) and dedicated his life to securing freedom and dignity for his people. Inspired by witnessing the mistreatment of an elderly man by Portuguese officials, Roberto joined politics and co-founded the Union of Peoples of Angola (UPA). He also participated in underground activities and attended the All African People’s Congress in Ghana. Returning to Angola, he became actively involved in politics and established the National Front for the Liberation of Angola, leading the country’s struggle for independence. Holden Roberto is revered as a hero and a pioneer of the national liberation struggle in Angola.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Holden Álvaro Roberto
- Died At Age: 84
- Family:
- Father: Garcia Diasiwa Roberto
- Mother: Joana Lala Nekaka
- Black Leaders
- Revolutionaries
- Died on: August 2, 2007
- Place of Death: Luanda, Angola
Childhood & Early Life
Roberto was born on 12 January 1923 in São Salvador, Angola to Garcia Diasiwa Roberto and Joana Lala Nekaka. In 1925, his family moved to Léopoldville, Belgian Congo. He received his education from a Baptist missionary school and graduated in 1940.
Career
After completing his education, Roberto found employment at the Belgian Finance Ministry in Léopoldville and Bukavu. In 1951, he visited Angola and witnessed the brutality of Portuguese colonial rule. This experience inspired him to enter politics and fight for the independence of Angola. In 1956, he founded the Union of Peoples of Northern Angola (UPNA), later renamed as the Union of Peoples of Angola (UPA). Roberto served as the UPA president and attended the All-African Peoples Congress of Ghana in 1958, where he met influential leaders such as Patrice Lumumba, Kenneth Kaunda, and Tom Mboya.
Roberto went to the United Nations on behalf of his movement and appointed Jonas Savimbi as Secretary-General of the UPA. He received aid from the United States National Security Council and led a group of militants to launch an incursion into Angola in 1961, resulting in a bloody massacre. In 1962, he merged the UPA with the Democratic Party of Angola to form the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA). However, differences arose between Roberto and Savimbi, leading to Savimbi founding the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
By the mid 1960s, there were three political groups fighting for freedom against the Portuguese government: FNLA, UNITA, and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). The struggles continued until April 1975 when Roberto and the leaders of two other political parties signed peace accords with Portugal, leading to Angola’s independence.
Civil War and Later Years
Under the terms of the agreement, UNITA, the MPLA, and the FNLA agreed to form a coalition government. However, disagreements between the groups led to outbreaks of violence and a civil war that lasted for almost three decades, resulting in the death of approximately 500,000 people. Roberto went into exile during this time but eventually returned to Angola in 1992.
In 1992, the first multiparty elections were held, and Roberto’s FNLA party received only two percent of the popular vote. He became one of the most vocal critics of the MPLA, which won the general elections. Roberto suffered from heart problems in his later years and passed away on 2 August 2007 at the age of 84.
Personal Life & Legacy
Roberto was married when he became acquainted with Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko. In order to establish a political alliance with Mobutu, he divorced his first wife and married a woman from Mobutu’s wife’s village.