Congo-Brazzaville: election campaign kicks off for the presidential election of March 21
Henri Bouka, president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of Congo-Brazzaville, during a press conference on March 4, 2021. © Loïcia Martial / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
Congo-Brazzaville, which commemorated Thursday March 4 the ninth anniversary of the deadly explosions of a military camp in 2012, starts this Saturday March 5 the electoral campaign for the presidential election of March 21, which will oppose seven candidates including the outgoing president , Denis Sassou-Nguesso.
The National Independent Electoral Commission (CNEI) said Thursday that it was taking all the necessary steps to hold a peaceful election.
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With our correspondent in Brazzaville,
Loïcia Martial
, and our special
correspondent ,
Florence Morice
During the press conference which lasted more than an hour, Henri Bouka, president of the CNEI, indicated that the Commission was taking all measures to distribute, for example, the voter cards on time.
He affirmed that at the end of the very recent revision of the electoral lists,
the next ballot
will have to concern more than 2.5 million voters who will vote in more than 5,700 offices distributed throughout the country.
The public force is called to the polls a little before the rest of the population, that is to say on March 17.
She will vote in ordinary offices and not in barracks, assured Henri Bouka.
The president of the CNEI has rejected accusations that he is judge and party, because he is also the first president of the Supreme Court.
“
There is no incompatibility between the functions of the judicial judge and those of the president of the body responsible for managing the elections.
Because the litigation of the presidential election, legislative and senatorial elections is devolved by the constitution of Congo to the Constitutional Court
”, he defended himself.
This magistrate also affirmed that the election will be organized under the supervision of national and international observers.
Sassou-Nguesso and Kolélas still in the running, part of the opposition is already denouncing an "electoral hold-up"
At 77, and after already 36 years of cumulative power, Denis Sassou-Nguesso is once again on the starting line.
He is seeking a fourth consecutive term.
On the opposition side, Guy Brice Parfait Kolélas, declared second in the last presidential election, tries his luck again, just like Mathias Dzon.
The 73-year-old former finance minister had already run for president in 2009, before calling for a boycott of the poll at the last moment.
He promises that this time he will go to the end.
Notable in this race: Pascal Tasty Mabiala.
The leader of the opposition recognized by the government is not a candidate.
His party, UPADS, the only one to have a parliamentary group in the Assembly, decided not to participate, citing shortcomings in the conditions for organizing the election.
The independent, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mbougou, a former UPADS dissident, is on the other hand for the fourth time, alongside former army officer Albert Oniangué, customs inspector Anguios Nganguia Engambé, and of Dave Mafoula, 38, the youngest of the race.
As for opponents Clément Mierassa and Paulin Mkaya, they call for a boycott, denounce even before the vote an attempt at an “
electoral hold-up
”, and in particular demand the release of two former presidential candidates in 2016: General Mokoko and André Okombi Salissa, two major players in the Congolese political scene, who are still in prison.
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Congo Brazzaville
Denis Sassou-Nguesso
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