Ahead of the elections in Angola in August President João Lourenço , in which Lourenço is running for a second term, hopes to have things turn around in Angola have largely been dashed. 

Lourenço's moves to 'open up' the Angolan economy have had little effect. Instead, an economic crisis that has endured since late 2014 has led to popular dissatisfaction and anger among Angolans.

This anger is behind the formation of a broad political opposition front against the ruling party, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). 

The new United Patriotic Front brings together key opposition leaders as well as civil society organisations.  

To take the conversation further as we close off the month we talk to: Charlie Khumalo is a retired Channel Africa journalist and expert on African affairs and Professor Mammo Muchie is a lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology.