Provisional results on Thursday from ballot counting in Angola's election indicate the ruling party MPLA holds a strong lead over the main opposition UNITA, which said the initial outcome was not reliable.

With 33% of the votes counted, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) said the first provisional results showed the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) garnered 60.65% of the vote.

And the opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola's (UNITA), received 33.85%, CNE said.

Angolan voters headed to polling stations on Wednesday to elect the southern African country's new president as well as members of the National Assembly.

Eight candidates running on the tickets of seven political parties and a coalition will compete in this year's general election, believed to be a closely fought election since democratic elections were first introduced in the country in 1992.

Incumbent President Joao Lourenco is running on a ticket of the ruling party MPLA, in hopes of seeking a second term in office. His major rival is Adalberto Costa Junior, leader of the UNITA.

(With input from Reuters and Xinhua)