UCID Challenges Political Status Quo in Cape Verde Elections
Under a blistering sun in the capital city of Praia, the Independent and Democratic Cape Verdean Union (UCID) marched through the streets of Vila Nova on Wednesday, positioning itself as the only viable alternative to the political duopoly that has dominated Cape Verde for decades.
Led by Alberto “Beta” Mello—a high-profile defector from the ruling Movement for Democracy (MpD)—the UCID campaign is tapping into a growing vein of voter frustration. Residents in the capital’s toughest neighborhoods say they are exhausted by rising crime, a crumbling inter-island transport system, and what they describe as a cycle of broken promises from the country’s two main parties.
Voters Demand Safety and Reliable Transport
“Cape Verde is very insecure; there is no sense of safety in the streets,” 51-year-old Davi Gomes told Lusa during the campaign rally. “The police are there, but they don’t solve anything. And regarding inter-island transport, everything remains difficult. A lot of money is wasted on unnecessary things. Enough of the same two parties.”
Gomes is not alone. For many in Vila Nova, the legislative elections on May 17 represent a chance to break the legislative stranglehold held by the MpD and the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) since 1991.
“People are sometimes ungrateful, but looking at reality, PAICV and MpD should not win,” Gomes added. “There are serious failures in education and health. We need to give others an opportunity.”
A Peaceful Clash of Colors
The campaign trail was a sensory overload of blue flags, rhythmic chants, and local music. At one point, the UCID procession crossed paths with MpD supporters. While the competing campaign songs created a chaotic wall of sound, the atmosphere remained remarkably civil. Opposing supporters exchanged handshakes and hugs, a testament to the country’s democratic maturity even amidst heated rhetoric.
Paulo Semedo, 52, a former MpD loyalist, explained his shift in allegiance. “I always voted for MpD, but now I’m voting for UCID. Beta has the profile; he has shown he can lead. MpD failed on many promises, especially in security.”
The “Beta” Factor
The man at the center of the movement, Alberto Mello, avoided discussing his recent split from the ruling party, preferring to focus on the future. “That is in the past,” Mello told reporters. “What is heard most in the neighborhoods is the need for jobs, security, and health. Those are the three pillars that need an urgent response.”
Mello emphasized that voters are no longer moved by rhetoric. “One feels strongly the exhaustion from promises. People say: enough with the promising, it’s time for doing.”
UCID currently holds only four seats in the National Assembly. As the campaign enters its final week before the May 15 deadline, the party is ramping up its efforts in markets and fish stalls across the islands, hoping that the call for “more balance, better governance” will finally tip the scales of Cape Verdean politics.
Image: Pexels – Asad Photo Maldives
