- the 82-year-old president, who has dominated the country’s politics for decades, is seeking another five-year term
- Some polling centres also reported delays in receiving election materials before the official opening time
- Critics argue that corruption and the alleged diversion of oil revenues by senior officials have hindered broader economic development
Polling stations opened on Sunday across Republic of the Congo for the presidential election, but turnout appeared low in several locations as voters showed limited enthusiasm for the vote widely expected to extend the rule of longtime leader Denis Sassou Nguesso.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the 82-year-old president, who has dominated the country’s politics for decades, is seeking another five-year term.
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Although six other candidates are contesting the election, analysts say a divided and weakened opposition has left Sassou Nguesso in a strong position to retain power.
The Congolese leader is already among Africa’s longest-serving heads of state, alongside Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya of Cameroon.
Early observations suggested that voter participation could be historically low. At a polling unit in the Ouenze district of the capital, Brazzaville, only a small number of ballots had been cast several hours after voting began.
Some polling centres also reported delays in receiving election materials before the official opening time.
Many of the few voters who turned out were reluctant to speak publicly. However, one elderly voter expressed confidence that the incumbent president would secure another term, arguing that his leadership had brought stability to the country.
During his campaign, Sassou Nguesso travelled across the nation with the backing of the ruling Congolese Workers’ Party, urging citizens to participate in the election and emphasising the importance of security and stability.
Human rights organisations have frequently accused the government of suppressing political dissent.
Two prominent opposition figures from the 2016 presidential race, Jean‑Marie Michel Mokoko and Andre Okombi Salissa, are currently serving 20-year prison sentences after being convicted of threatening national security, a charge their supporters dispute.
The president has also highlighted his administration’s economic achievements, pointing to infrastructure projects and efforts to expand the country’s gas and agricultural sectors in order to reduce reliance on imports.
Despite these initiatives, economic inequality remains widespread. Although the nation is one of the leading oil producers in sub-Saharan Africa, more than half of its population still lives in poverty.
Critics argue that corruption and the alleged diversion of oil revenues by senior officials have hindered broader economic development. Some cases involving Congolese officials have also been investigated abroad, including in France.
While Sassou Nguesso appears likely to win another term, the country’s constitution prevents him from seeking re-election in 2031. The issue of who might eventually succeed him remains uncertain.
In earlier remarks, the president acknowledged that he would not remain in office indefinitely and said younger generations would eventually take over leadership, though he declined to name a potential successor.
Sassou Nguesso first came to power in 1979 under a one-party system before losing multi-party elections in 1992.
He returned to power after a civil conflict in 1997 and has since won several elections, including those held in 2002, 2009, 2016 and 2021, contests that opposition groups have repeatedly criticised as lacking transparency.
The oil-rich nation, which gained independence in 1960, has maintained close diplomatic ties with both France and Russia. Voting is scheduled to conclude at 6:00 p.m. local time.
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