Congo: Sassou Nguesso’s party wins Senators’ elections

Congolese Labor Party (PCT), the party of President Denis Sassou Nguessou, has won the majority of seats in the country’s Senate polls held on Sunday August 20.

The party won 52 seats out of the 72 available in the upper house, according to the result put out by the Interior ministry Wednesday August 23.

“This result is the consequence of work done on a scientific basis. It is not a hegemony,” said Parfait Iloki, spokesperson for the party.

Seven independent movements close to the party also managed to get nine seats for their candidates, bringing the number seats controlled by the ruling movement to 62.

For political activist Trésor Nzila, the results are a farce. “Elections in the Congo are more of a show, to give the illusion of a functioning democracy,” he criticized.

“As long as no real reform of the way of elections in the country is achieved, the ruling party will continue to prevent the emergence of real checks and balances,” he added.

The leading opposition party, Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), only won one seat.

The PCT, with these elections, has further tightened its control of the country. The party last year won 111 seats in the 151-seat legislature.