Congo: Sassou's poll victory affirmed, opposition complaints dismissed

The Constitutional Court in the Republic of congo has affirmed the reelection of incumbent Denis Sassou Nguesso and also dismissed motions by members of the opposition contesting the elections.

According to published final results of the March 20 polls, the incumbent won 60 percent of the votes and was trailed in a distant second by Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas with 15 percent and Jean Marie Michel Mokoko, a former National Security Chief, in third with 14 percent.

Final Results: Republic of Congo's President Is Re-Elected https://t.co/vRMYTKl9LB

— Lê Kim Huyền (@lvton_html) April 4, 2016

The Court headed by Auguste Iloki disclosed that 69 percent of the nearly 2 million voters turned up for the excercise. The vote was scheduled five months after a referendum that led to constitutional changes to allow Sassou Nguesso to extend his three decades rule of the Central African Country.

Following the declaration by the Interior Minister that Sassou had won reelection, opposition members filed court processes to challenge the validity of the polls, with General Mokoko calling for a popular uprising by Congolese.

The announcement comes on a day when residents of the capital are fleeing following the gun battles between government forces and a militia group identified as ‘ninjas’ by the Information Minister Henry Moungalla.

Congo gov’t blames militia for Brazzaville attack https://t.co/ep0pMZ42CI pic.twitter.com/3WhUrQ1mhK

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The elections were held under a five-day communications blackout imposed by the government in the interest of national security. The blackout was supposed to avert violence that could arise from the publication of false results by opposition elements.

AFP