Jose Eduardo dos Santos's 38-year reign over Angola finally came to an end Tuesday when his hand-picked successor Joao Lourenco was inaugurated as president at a ceremony in Luanda.

Angola’s ruling MPLA party has won a general election by taking 61.07 percent of the vote, the electoral commission said on Wednesday, making João Lourenço the next president of sub-Saharan Africa’s third-largest economy.

Dos Santos, 75, who has ruled since 1979 and is reportedly in poor health, will hand over to former defence minister Joao Lourenco at the presidential inauguration on September 25.

Angola's election commission on Monday rejected accusations of irregularities in last month's vote which saw the MPLA party, which has ruled since 1975, retain power.

Four opposition parties in Angola on Sunday called for a recount in last month's general election, alleging "irregularities" during the vote that kept the ruling party in power.

Angola's ruling MPLA won this week's election, a poll official announced Thursday, with party candidate Joao Lourenco now set to succeed President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos who has ruled for 38 years.

When Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos steps down and his successor is chosen in Wednesday's elections, it will bring to an end a 38-year reign dominated by his unrelenting authoritarian style.

Angola goes to the polls Wednesday in a historic election marking the end of President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos's 38-year reign, with his party set to retain power despite the country's economic crisis.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has returned from Spain more than two weeks after he left the country on a "private visit", the presidency said Thursday, as rumours of ill health swirl.

Zimbabwe's 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe is in Singapore for a "routine medical check-up", state media reported Sunday.

Protests are rarely allowed in Angola but Saturday's event, which was organised by the UNITA opposition party, was authorised by the police.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been dogged by reports of poor health, has returned to Luanda after nearly a month in Spain, party officials said Tuesday.