On Sunday, March 15, Congolese voters went to the polls for a presidential election in which the incumbent president, Denis Sassou-Nguesso (82 years old), is seeking a fifth term. The election day was marked by apparent calm, but above all by a total blackout : telephone and internet networks were cut off across the entire country.

A capital city at a standstill and deserted offices

In Brazzaville, the atmosphere was that of a ghost town: traffic was prohibited, religious services were suspended, and shops were closed. While voting officially began in the morning, numerous delays were observed due to the late delivery of electoral materials.

Contrary to expectations, no massive queues were observed, either in the strongholds of the ruling party (Poto Poto, Talangaï) or in the opposition districts (Bacongo, Makélékélé). Voters arrived sporadically, in a trickle.

The shadow of the boycott and the lack of surveillance

The political landscape of this election is particularly divisive:

1. The majority has made numerous calls to vote in order to counter abstention.
2. The radical opposition denounced it as a "sham" and called for a boycott.
3. The parliamentary opposition allowed its supporters to vote according to their "conscience".

In certain neighborhoods considered loyal to the president, such as the Quinze district, the vote count took place amid notable indifference. Without internet or telephone access, citizens were unable to photograph or share the results written in chalk on blackboards, making any form of citizen oversight virtually impossible.

Citizens' Voices: Between Duty and Indignation

The population's feelings are divided between attachment to the right to vote and frustration with the country's lockdown:

"Man has the right to seek his candidate, his president," says Sébastien , after voting in the 6th arrondissement.

Conversely, Vivienne , a young unemployed graduate, stands by her boycott:

"There is no democracy here. I am looking for a president who will come and improve everything that is happening here in Congo."

Georges , for his part, is outraged by the communications blackout, which he considers dangerous: "What is the point of cutting the connection, if not to conceal the true version of events?"

A country cut off from the world

Digital isolation is currently preventing any assessment of the vote within the country. Civil society organizations, which had denounced an unfair campaign, remained unreachable throughout the evening.

No date has yet been given for the announcement of the official results.