Congo’s electoral commission announces poll date

Republic of the Congo’s Electoral Commission has announced March 21 2021, as the date for the country’s presidential election.

The commission said the defence and security forces will vote on March 17, allowing them to devote themselves to securing the voting process on the Election Day.

This is the first time that voters will go to the polls in two phases since the first multi-party presidential election in 1992.

The announcement comes as the voter verification process is ongoing to determine the final number of voters for the upcoming poll.

The 77-year-old incumbent President Dennis Sassou Nguesso has been in power for 36 years, making him one of the longest serving presidents in Africa.

His challengers include Mathias Dzon, who was the former Minister of Finance from 1997-2002, and Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas, who came second in the highly contested 2016 presidential election won by Sassou Nguesso.

The country staged a referendum in 2015 to remove a 70 year age limit and a ban on presidents serving more than two terms.

Olajumoke Adeleke