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THE government of Congo has denied that there had been a coup attempt by the military in the country on Sunday.
Reports had been circulating around social media networks saying the military had risen up against President Denis Sassou Nguesso, and had seized control of the capital Brazzaville, located on the right bank of the Congo River opposite Kinshasa, the capital of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
But the country’s Minister of Communication and Media, Thierry Moungalla, said: “We reassure public opinion about the calm that reigns and invite people to carry out their activities calmly.”
President Nguesso first became president of the country after a coup in 1977.
He ruled Congo until 1992, when he lost the country’s first multi-party elections, only to return to power in 1997, after a short civil war in which he was supported by Angolan troops.
Mr Nguesso is one of Africa’s longest-serving presidents having won four elections in 2002, 2009, 2016 and 2021.
There have been accusations of fraud by the opposition during each election.
In 2015, after a constitutional referendum that received 92 per cent support, President Nguesso was allowed to run for a fresh electoral mandate in 2016.
