Republic of Congo president’s party wins 111 of 151 seats

BRAZZAVILLE— Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s party won 111 seats in the 151-member National Assembly after two rounds of legislative elections, according to official results announced Tuesday.

The polls were marked by a low turnout, according to observers, and the authorities did not give the final abstention rate.

After the second round, Nguesso’s Labour Party (PCT) added nine seats to the 102 seats it won in the first round, according to results read out on state television by the minister responsible for the election, Guy-Georges Mbaka.

Former Congolese opposition leader Claudine Munari defeated the minister for small and medium-sized enterprises Jacqueline Lydia Mikolo.

The Union of Humanist Democrats of the late opposition leader Guy-Brice Kolelas won seven seats in the national assembly, the same number as the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy, which had been the main opposition party.

“Peace, serenity and national cohesion have been preserved,” said Mbaka.

The Congolese National Assembly will take shape in the coming days, while a reshuffle of the government is being considered, according to government sources.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK