(3 minutes read)
· The Republic of Congo’s the presidential election will take place on March 21
· Incumbent president Dennis Sassou Nguesso (77) has been at the helm for 36 years
· Those who are opposing him for the post include Mathias Dzon, who is the former Minister of Finance (between 1997 and 2002) and Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas, who came second in the highly contested 2016 presidential election that Sassou Nguesso won
The Republic of Congo’s presidential election will take place on March 21. It was confirmed by the country’s election commission. The commission also said that the defense and security forces will vote on March 17. That will allow the army and police to devote themselves to the voting process on Election Day.
For the first time voters will go to the polls in two phases. The multiparty presidential election was launched in the country in 1992.The voter and verification process is going on now in the country to prepare itself for the election.
Incumbent president Dennis Sassou Nguesso (77) has been at the helm for 36 years. He is one of the longest serving presidents in Africa. Those who are opposing him for the post include Mathias Dzon, who is the former Minister of Finance (between 1997 and 2002) and Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas, who came second in the highly contested 2016 presidential election that Sassou Nguesso won. The country held a referendum in 2015 to remove a 70 year age limit and a ban on presidents serving more than two terms. However, the results of the last election were disputed by his rivals former general Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and former minister Andre Okombi Salissa. They were arrested and put on trail and later jailed for violating state security.
