BRAZZAVILLE, Feb. 13– The General Directorate for Electoral Affairs closed the submission of candidacies for the March 15 presidential election at midnight on Thursday.
Seven candidates are in the race, including incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The other six include Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou, member of parliament and leader of “The Chain” party who is running for the fifth time since 2002.
Anguios Nganguia Engambe, president of the Party for Action of the Republic, is competing for the fourth consecutive time since 2009.
They are joined by Uphrem Dave Mafoula, who is running for the second consecutive time after the 2021 presidential election.
Vivien Romain Manangou, a university lecturer; Destin Gavet of the Republican Movement; and Zinga Mabio Mavoungou, a former member of parliament, are running for the first time.
All candidacies must be validated by the Constitutional Court before Feb. 28, the official start of the election campaign, which will conclude on March 13.
The two main opposition parties, the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy and the Union of Humanist Democrats, did not field candidates. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
