Africa
By Paul Ejime
AS widely expected, Denis Sassou Nguesso, 77, has been reelected Republic of Congo’s president for a fourth term to extend his 36 years in power.
The National Electoral Commission on Tuesday, March 23, announced that he scored more than 88.57% of the vote in Sunday’s poll marred by low turnout following calls for boycott by opposition candidates.
Nguesso’s main rival Guy Brice Patfait Kolelas also died from covid-19 while being evacuated from Brazzaville to Paris on the day of the controversial election, placed second with 7.84% of the vote.
Political observers expect a continuation of Nguesso’s authoritarian grip on power in the Central African country, which gained political independence from France in 1960.
Also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the country is rich in oil and diamond among other resources.
But its 5.5 million population endure extreme poverty compounded by endless political instability and crippling foreign debt due to bad governance.
– Mar. 23, 2021 @ 7:46 GMT /
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