Congolese government denies rumors of attempted coup against president Nguesso

The government in Congo-Brazzaville has denied recent claims of an attempted coup by the country’s military against President Denis Nguesso, who has held office for an uninterrupted 39 years.

These allegations surfaced on social media, suggesting an orchestrated effort by the military to remove from power the 79-year-old leader who was at that time in New York, attending the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly with other world leaders. The stories claimed that the military was taking control of strategic locations in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville. “Fictitious information suggests that serious events are taking place in Brazzaville,” said Minister of Communication and Media and government spokesman Thierry Moungalla on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “The government categorically denies the spread of false information. We wish to reassure the public of the prevailing tranquility and encourage everyone to carry on with their daily activities calmly.”

The government’s official website also published a statement reaffirming its rejection of any reports concerning an attempted coup. Recent months have seen a surge in military takeovers across the African continent, with the most recent occurrence taking place in neighboring Gabon — since then speculations have been rife also about a pending coup in Congo. Nguesso ascended to the presidency of this oil-rich Central African nation through a military coup in 1979. Nicknamed “The Emperor” by some of his African colleagues, Nguesso has remained head of state after winning elections in 2002, 2009, 2016, and 2021 amid frequent accusations of fraud by the opposition.