Angolan lawyers appeal ruling on appointment of president's daughter to head oil company

Angolan lawyers have filed an appeal in the Constitutional Court after the President’s billionaire daughter was cleared to take office as the head of the country’s national oil company.

The Supreme Court last month rejected an application by 12 human rights lawyers to have Isabel dos Santos removed as the head of Sonangol, which handles the oil and gas reserves of Africa’s largest oil exporter.

The lawyers, who have accused President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of nepotism, first filed a case rejecting the appointment at the Supreme court before it was over ruled on December 27.

But Isabel dos Santos, who is ranked as Africa’s richest woman by Forbes magazine, says she was given the job because of her business acumen.

Dos Santos, 74, has been in power since 1979 and is one of Africa’s longest serving leaders. He says he will step down in 2018.