Republic of Congo's top court confirms Sassou Nguesso’s fifth term win

The Republic of Congo's constitutional court has confirmed President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s victory in the recent election, granting the 82-year-old leader a fifth term with 94.90% of the vote.

“The President Denis Sassou Nguesso is elected with 94.90% of the vote, representing an absolute majority,” said Auguste Iloki, president of the constitutional Court, at the end of the hearing on Saturday.

Provisional results announced 17 March by Interior Minister Raymond Zephirin Mboulou had already placed Sassou-Nguesso in the lead with 94.82% of the vote.

Six other candidates challenged the 82-year-old for the top job in the Central African country that boasts one of the largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa.

Longest-serving leaders

Two of his challengers had rejected the provisional results last week. One of them, Uphrem Mafoula, had filed an appeal with the constitutional court seeking to annul the election. The constitutional court on Saturday rejected the appeal.

Sassou Nguesso is the third-longest-serving African president, only behind Cameroon ’s Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea ’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Sassou Nguesso, running for the Congolese Party of Labour, first came to power in 1979 and ruled until 1992 when he organised the country’s first multi-party elections. He returned to power following a four-month civil war in 1997.

Economic outlook

The campaign period in this year’s elections showed a vast mismatch between Sassou N’Guesso and his opponents, with the incumbent being the only candidate to travel around the country to canvass for votes. Roads in the capital city, Brazzaville, were paved with Sassou Nguesso’s effigies.

Two other major parties boycotted the elections over allegations of unfair electoral practices.

A constitutional referendum in 2015 removed presidential age and term limits, allowing Nguesso to run again.

The Republic of Congo is struggling with high international debt, which stands at 94.5% of its gross domestic product, according to the World Bank, and skyrocketing unemployment rates for young people.

More than half the country’s 5.7 million population lives in poverty and 47% of the country’s population is under 18.