President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville is set to rule his country beyond four decades after securing a fourth term in office in this year’s presidential election.
He won re-election by a landslide, with 89% of the vote, according to the country’s interior minister.
The main opposition candidate Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas – who died on Sunday after catching Covid-19 had 8%.
The turnout was 67.55% and elections this year were held in a peaceful atmosphere.
Republic of the Congo,
Presidential election (preliminary results)
Sassou-Nguesso (PCT, centre-left/authoritarian): 89%
Kolélas (UDH-YUKI, centre): 8%
Dzon (UPRN, *): 1%
…Denis Sassou-Nguesso was reelected as President of the Republic of Congo. pic.twitter.com/InOcZeTcUz
— Africa Elects (@AfrikaElect) March 23, 2021
The 77-year-old Sassou Nguesso first came to power 1979 but had a five-year break after losing elections in 1992.
Nguesso was an opposition leader for five years and then came back to power during the Second Civil War (1997–1999) when his rebel forces ousted President Pascal Lissouba.
He has since been in power, winning all presidential elections held since 2002.
Nguesso supervised the change in constitution in a referendum in 2015 to remove term and age limits.
Since returning to power he has solidified his grip of the presidency with his victory in 2016 marred by violence and claims of fraud.
Source: Africafeeds.com
