KIGALI, Rwanda

The Constitutional Court in the Republic of Congo has validated the results of this month’s presidential poll, confirming the reelection of incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso for a fifth term.

Nguesso won the election with 94.90% of the votes cast, beating six candidates, said a statement issued by Auguste Iloki, president of the Constitutional Court.

The court dismissed a request by candidate Dave Mafoula seeking to annul the March 15 election, in which he challenged the results over alleged irregularities.

The provisional results announced on March 17 by the Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou slightly changed from 94.82%.

Roughly 2.6 million people cast their ballots, representing a voter turnout of over 85%.

Following the validation, Nguesso, 82, will be inaugurated for his new term on April 16, according to authorities.

Two major opposition candidates boycotted the vote, citing alleged unfair practices.

Nguesso first took power in 1979, lost the 1992 election and went into exile in France before returning in 1997 to seize power in an armed uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba.

He has since dominated politics. Running for the Congolese Party of Labor ticket, this is his fifth straight term after victories in 2002, 2009, 2016 and 2021, when he won more than 88% of the vote, following 2015 constitutional changes that reset term limits and removed the presidential age cap.