Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has been in power for more than four decades, secured 94.82% of the vote in the Central African nation

Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso has won a landslide victory in the Central African nation's presidential election, according to provisional results announced late on Tuesday.

Sassou Nguesso secured 94.82% of the vote, far ahead of his nearest challenger, Mabio Mavoungou Zinga, a retired customs inspector and former member of parliament, who received 1.48%. Seven candidates, including the incumbent, were on the ballot in Sunday's vote.

Announcing the results on state television, Interior Minister Raymond Zephirin Mboulou said 3,167,909 people were registered to vote and turnout stood at 84.65%.

Sassou Nguesso, 82, a former army officer, first came to power in 1979. He lost Congo's first multiparty presidential election in 1992, but returned to office in 1997 after a civil war. A constitutional change following a 2015 referendum removed the presidential age limit of 70, clearing the way for his latest candidacy.

He won more than 88% of the vote in 2021 and is now Africa's third-longest serving leader, behind Cameroon's Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

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During this year's campaign, Sassou promised continuity, stability, and development, focusing on infrastructure, education, and economic growth.

On Sunday, after casting his ballot, he told reporters that the oil-producing country will maintain "strong" ties with Russia and other partners "that work for peace."

Brazzaville and Moscow have maintained diplomatic relations since 1964, when Congo and the Soviet Union signed a friendship treaty. The two countries cooperate in areas including education, security, and energy.

The election took place amid criticism over the alleged repression of opposition groups and a nationwide internet outage on polling day. Several opposition parties boycotted the vote, saying the process lacked credibility and fairness - accusations the government rejected.

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Observers from the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, and the International Organization of la Francophonie said the vote was peaceful, calm, and transparent, while urging reforms to make future elections more inclusive.

(RT.com)