Thousands of Angolans protested Saturday against what they said was a flawed election last month that returned the MPLA to power after nearly five decades of uninterrupted rule

Angola's Constitutional Court has dismissed a complaint filed by the runner-up opposition party UNITA in the August 24 elections.

UNITA, a former rebel group that fought the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) for nearly three decades, received many of its votes from young people who feel excluded from the country's oil wealth.

"The citizens are not with the MPLA. We want them out," protesters chanted in unison.

Many of them were among the young and unemployed who are frustrated with the MPLA leaders, some of whom have become billionaires from Angola's oil wealth while the majority live in poverty.

The protesters took over Independence Square, traditionally where the MPLA holds rallies and victory parties. They were peaceful, although analysts fear that there is enough youthful anger and frustration for any protest to quickly turn violent.

UNITA leader Adalberto Costa Júnior had called for protests after losing to current President João Lourenço in the August 24 elections.

UNITA cadres have not published any evidence of their allegations of electoral fraud.

Just over 51% of the electorate voted for the former Marxist MPLA, in a result contested by the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which got about 44%, its best result so far.