 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Muna June 1975, dos Santos akava murongi weDhipatimendi reMPLA reZvekunze; akarongawo Dhipatimendi rehutano reMPLA panguva ino. Pakusununguka kweAngola muna November 1975, MPLA yakabata simba muLuanda, asi hurumende itsva yeMPLA yakatarisana nehondo yevagari vemonemamwe masangano ezvematongerwe enyika, National Union for the Total Independence of Angola UNITA uye National Liberation Front of Angola FNLA. Gore rimwe chetero, Dos Santos akagadzwa saGurukota rekutanga rezvekunze kweAngola mushure mekuzvimiririra, uye mune izvi akaita basa rakakosha mukuwana kuzivikanwa kwezvematongerwo enyika kwehurumende yeMPLA muna 1975-1976. PaKongiresi Yokutanga yeMPLA muna December 1977, Eduardo dos Santos akasarudzwazve kuCentral Committee uye Politburo. Muna December 1978, akachinjwa kubva pachigaro cheMutevedzeri Wokutanga weMutungamiri wehurumende kuenda kune Gurukota reZvirongwa. 