Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brazzaville (Agenzia Fides) – As expected, incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso won the presidential elections that were held in the Republic of Congo on July 12 (see Fides 10/7/2009).
According to the results published yesterday, July 15, Nguesso won 1,055,117 of the 1,342,242 votes, equivalent to a percentage of 78.61%.
Second place was held by independent candidates Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou, with 7.46% of the votes, followed by Nicephore Fylla of Saint-Eudes (6.98%) and by the man considered Nguesso's main political adversary, Mathias Dzon, who only received 2.30% of the vote. For the results to take effect, the President must be proclaimed by the Constitutional Court, which must first analyze the eventual objections to the vote.
While international observers affirm that the elections took place in an upright manner, various local non-governmental organizations and civil society have expressed criticisms on the voting process. Firstly, they affirm that the voter lists were falsified: only 2.2 million Congolese, out of a population of 3.6 million inhabitants, were officially called to vote. Yet the opposition says this claim is outrageous. They also claim that there was a small participation in the vote and that the 6 candidates had encouraged their voters to boycott the elections.
The official data (still provisional) of participation in the vote says that 66.42% of those who have the right to vote, voted. The opposition, however, claims that only 15-20% of voters went to the polls.
The observers from the African Union and the Economic Community of Central Africa, however, claim that the vote took place “in conformation with the law and according to standards of honesty and established corrections.”
A demonstration held in protest, in the capital city of Brazzaville, was suppressed by police.
Congo-Brazzaville is one of the leading producers of African petrol. Its daily production of crude oil is 220,000 barrels. However, the majority of the people never see the profits of this production. In fact, the country is ranked at 142 by the UN Development Program, with a human development level of 0.512. The Bishops of Congo support those who call for a greater honesty in the management of the country's natural resources (see Fides 1/12/2006). (LM) (Agenzia Fides 16/7/2009)
