By 
Voters in the Republic of the Congo go to the polls on Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to hand President Denis Sassou Nguesso another five-year term, extending his decades-long grip on power.
The 82-year-old leader, who has dominated Congolese politics for most of the past 40 years, faces six little-known challengers in a race analysts say is unlikely to produce surprises.
Several leading opposition figures are jailed or in exile, and multiple parties have boycotted the vote, saying the process lacks credibility.
Reuters reported that polling stations will open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., with more than 3.2 million registered voters eligible to cast ballots.
Read more; Sierra Leone, Guinea defuse border tensions after release of 16 detained officers
Turnout is expected to fall below the nearly 68 percent recorded in the 2021 election, when Sassou Nguesso won 88.4 percent of the vote.
He first came to power in 1979 and has ruled almost uninterrupted since, apart from a five-year gap in the 1990s.
Analysts said a fractured opposition further strengthens his position.
“The opposition is fragmented and lacks a strong, emblematic figure. There may be fatigue among voters, but that will not affect Sassou’s chances,” said Remadji Hoinathy of the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria.
Human rights groups say the political space has narrowed in recent years, citing arrests of activists and the suspension of opposition parties.
Prime Minister, Anatole Collinet Makosso, has rejected the criticism, insisting the country’s institutions will ensure a transparent vote.
Many citizens doubt the election will bring change.
“It’s an election whose outcome is known in advance. I don’t expect things to improve,” said Frédéric Nkou, an unemployed resident of Brazzaville.
On the campaign trail, Sassou Nguesso has promised to accelerate infrastructure projects and expand access to education and vocational training.
Despite a stabilising oil-dependent economy, poverty remains widespread, with the World Bank estimating about 52 percent of the country’s 6.1 million people live below the poverty line.
Provisional results are expected 48 to 72 hours after polls close.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments