President Denis Sassou Nguesso, 82, has confirmed he will run in the March 15 presidential election, aiming to extend roughly 42 years in power. He pledged to prioritize food security and youth, in a country where only about 4% of arable land is cultivated and many staples are imported. Critics and rights groups point to restricted freedoms and long prison sentences for some opposition figures, while three opposition parties have formed an alliance to challenge him. The president’s family also faces potential embezzlement scrutiny in France.
Denis Sassou Nguesso Announces Run For March Election, Seeks To Extend 42 Years In Power
Denis Sassou Nguesso has ruled Congo-Brazzaville for more than four decades (SIA KAMBOU)(SIA KAMBOU/POOL/AFP)
Congo-Brazzaville President Denis Sassou Nguesso, 82, has formally announced he will stand as a candidate in the presidential election scheduled for March 15, seeking to extend a rule that spans more than four decades.
Sassou Nguesso’s cumulative time in office totals roughly 42 years — with a five-year interruption in the 1990s — placing him among Africa’s longest-serving leaders alongside Cameroon’s Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
In a statement released by his office and reiterated before several thousand supporters in Ignie, a southern district, the president said:
"I will stand as a candidate."Addressing a crowd largely made up of farmers, he pledged to prioritize food security and to "accompany" the country’s youth.
Economic and Food-Security Challenges
The Republic of the Congo is an oil-rich nation of about six million people, but only around 4% of its arable land is cultivated. Much of the country remains forested and the economy depends heavily on imported food, leaving consumers vulnerable to volatile international prices and supply shocks.
Political Context and Rights Concerns
Rights groups say civil liberties in the country are tightly constrained and have condemned threats against opposition figures. The opposition accuses Sassou Nguesso of manipulating elections since his return to power in 1997; they say polls since 2002 have not been free and fair.
Two high-profile opposition figures — General Jean‑Marie Michel Mokoko and André Okombi Salissa — are serving long prison sentences (reported at 20 years) after being convicted of charges related to "attacking internal security" following their challenges to the 2016 result, when Sassou Nguesso was reported to have received about 60% of the vote.
Constitutional Changes And Political Maneuvering
In 2015, a constitutional amendment removed the previous two-term limit and eliminated an age cap that barred candidates older than 70, clearing the way for extended tenure under the president. Under the current constitution, a president is limited to three terms; if Sassou Nguesso wins another five-year term it would be his last under that framework.
The ruling Congolese Labour Party (PCT) named him its candidate in December, describing him as the party’s "natural" choice. In response, three opposition parties have formed an alliance to try to unseat him in this year’s vote.
Overseas Scrutiny
Separately, members of the president’s family face the prospect of an embezzlement investigation in France, the country’s former colonial power, where they reportedly hold substantial property. The probe could increase international scrutiny of the regime if it proceeds.
As Congo-Brazzaville heads into a contentious election season, voters and observers will be watching whether the vote is competitive and transparent, and how the government addresses economic concerns — especially food security — raised by citizens and stakeholders.
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