Politics 19 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Denis Sassou Nguesso Secures Re-election in Congo Republic with 94.82% Amid Controlled Polls
Congo Republic's President Denis Sassou Nguesso won re-election with 94.82% of the vote, extending his 42-year rule in a tightly managed election boycotted by major opposition parties. His closest rival garnered just 1.48%, as voting faced delays, internet blackouts, and criticism over transparency. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/congo-republic-s-sassou-wins-re-election-with-nearly-95-in-tightly-controlled-vote-5396084
President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Congo Republic has clinched another term with a landslide 94.82% of the votes, prolonging his nearly four-decade grip on power in the oil-rich Central African nation.
At 82, the veteran leader faced minimal opposition from six obscure candidates, as major parties boycotted the race over transparency concerns. Prominent figures like General Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and Andre Okombi Salissa remain imprisoned after nearly ten years.
The pre-election period saw arrests of activists, suspension of opposition groups, and tight controls on gatherings, according to local rights advocate Joe Washington Ebina. Voting on Sunday experienced late polling station openings and a countrywide internet shutdown, despite official turnout claims of 84.65%.
Sassou’s nearest competitor, retired customs inspector Mabio Mavoungou Zinga, secured only 1.48%. Challengers have five days to contest results, with the Constitutional Court set to review within 15 days.
A former paratrooper, Sassou first rose to power in 1979, lost in 1992 multi-party polls, then returned via civil war in 1997. A 2015 constitutional tweak removed term limits and age barriers, allowing three more five-year terms—this one intended as his final.
While the oil-dependent economy has rebounded post-IMF program completion, over half the population endures poverty, lacking basics like electricity and healthcare. Corruption probes by French and U.S. authorities target Sassou family assets abroad.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)