Voting Begins in Republic of Congo as Nguesso Seeks Reelection
Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will remain operational until 6 p.m. (1700 GMT), allowing over 2.6 million registered voters aged 18 and older to cast their ballots.
Sassou Nguesso first assumed power in 1979, was defeated in the 1992 election, and went into exile in France. He returned in 1997 to seize control in an armed uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba. Since then, he has maintained a strong hold over the nation’s political landscape, seeking a fifth consecutive term following victories in 2002, 2009, 2016, and 2021. His previous election wins followed constitutional changes in 2015 that reset term limits and removed the presidential age cap, effectively enabling his continued rule.
He faces six challengers, including former lawmaker Mabio Mavoungou Zinga and veteran legislator Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou. Meanwhile, two major opposition figures boycotted the vote, citing alleged unfair practices. Notably, two prominent candidates from the disputed 2016 election, Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and Andre Okombi Salissa, remain imprisoned with 20-year sentences for charges of “endangering state security.”
Under the election rules, a candidate achieving an absolute majority will be declared the winner. If no contender reaches this threshold, a runoff election will be held between the two leading candidates.
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