Voters were scarce as polling stations opened on Sunday in Republic of the Congo, in a presidential election widely expected to extend the decades-long rule of incumbent leader Denis Sassou Nguesso.
The 82-year-old president is seeking another five-year term after more than four decades in power in the oil-rich Central African nation.
Although six candidates are contesting the election against Sassou Nguesso, the main opposition remains divided and largely absent from the race, leaving the incumbent widely tipped to secure another victory.
Sassou Nguesso is already among Africa’s longest-serving leaders, alongside Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya of Cameroon. Observers say voter turnout in the election could fall to a record low.
During the campaign, which ended on Friday, Sassou Nguesso toured the country with the backing of the ruling Congolese Workers’ Party, urging citizens to participate in the vote.
However, reports from several polling units in the capital, Brazzaville, indicated minimal voter activity in the early hours of voting. At a polling station in the Ouenze district visited by journalists, only a few ballots had been cast by 9:00 a.m. local time.
Some polling stations also reportedly lacked complete election materials by 7:00 a.m., the official opening time for voting.
Most of the few voters who arrived declined to speak publicly or be filmed. One elderly voter, who identified herself only as Georgine, expressed confidence in the incumbent.
“Denis Sassou will win,” she said, adding that citizens vote for the candidate they believe will maintain peace in the country. During his final campaign rally in Brazzaville on Friday, Sassou Nguesso emphasised security and stability, addressing thousands of supporters.
While the president credits his administration with maintaining stability, human rights organisations have frequently accused the government of targeting opposition activists.
Two prominent opposition figures from the 2016 election, Jean‑Marie Michel Mokoko and Andre Okombi Salissa, remain imprisoned after being sentenced to 20 years for allegedly threatening national security.
During the campaign, Sassou Nguesso also highlighted his economic record, citing efforts to modernise infrastructure and expand the gas and agricultural sectors to reduce dependence on imports.
Oil and gas remain the backbone of the country’s economy, accounting for most state revenue. Economic growth is projected to reach about 2.9 percent in 2025. Despite these figures, more than half of the population still lives below the poverty line.
Critics argue that corruption and the alleged diversion of oil revenues by senior officials have undermined the country’s economic progress. The government has also faced several legal complaints and investigations abroad, particularly in France.
Although Sassou Nguesso is widely expected to win re-election, the country’s constitution bars him from contesting again in 2031, raising questions about a possible successor.
In an interview, the president said he would not remain in power indefinitely and that the younger generation would eventually take over, but he declined to name a potential successor.
Sassou Nguesso first came to power in 1979 under a one-party system and ruled until 1992 when he lost the country’s first multiparty election. He later returned to power after a civil war in 1997.
Since then, he has won elections in 2002, 2009, 2016 and 2021—polls that opposition groups have repeatedly criticised as lacking transparency.
The former French colony gained independence in 1960 and has maintained close political ties with both France and Russia. Voting is expected to continue until polling stations close at 6:00 p.m. local time.
