Congo votes by landslide to allow third presidential term

The opposition dubbed the referendum “a constitutional coup”, and the FROCAD coalition said “the vote was neither free, nor just, nor fair, nor transparent”.

“The draft text of the new constitution has been adopted and will come into force as soon as it is put into effect by the President of the Republic”, Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou said.

Congo is a former French colony and France’s President Francois Hollande said last week that Sassou Nguesso had the right to consult his people on the issue.

Voter turnout was lower in the southern districts of Brazzaville, close to opposition strongholds, and also in parts of Pointe-Noire, said government spokesman Thierry Moungalla.

“From what we could see on the day of the vote, the announcement that turnout was more than 72 percent is extremely scandalous”, Clement Mierassa told AFP, branding the results a “fraud”.

Official results showed turnout was high at 72.4 percent while there were opposition claims that onl …

“The smart thing would be to annul the referendum”, he told Reuters by telephone.

Congolese president, Denis Sassou Nguesso cast his ballot in the referendum. There was little information about the rest of the country.

Congolese opposition leaders Tuesday called for “civil disobedience” to pressure the government into withdrawing a planned constitutional amendment enabling President Denis Sassou Nguesso to extend his three-decade rule. Several other such efforts have provoked violence and four died in Congo last week when security forces opened fire on protesters.

Under the current constitution, the president has been unable to seek re-election because he is over the age of 70 and has already served two terms.

They said the counting of votes was proceeding smoothly on Monday.