Congo Republic’s President Denis Sassou Nguessohas recently said he would call an election sometime in the first quarter of next year, several months ahead of schedule.
Sassou Nguesso, who has ruled Congo for 31 of the last 36 years, is widely expected to seek a third consecutive mandate in 2016 after winning an October referendum on changes to the constitution that legalize his candidacy.
He did not mention his intentions in his speech on Tuesday before parliament.
“The council of ministers will call on the electoral body earlier than expected so that the presidential election can take place during the first quarter of 2016,” President Sassou Nguesso told lawmakers.
The election was previously set to take place in July.
Christoph Wille, senior analyst for Africa at consultancy Control Risks, said the election’s timing was aimed at giving a strategic advantage to the ruling Congolese Labour Party (PCT).
“They hope to rush through the process and probably announce the exact date very last minute so the opposition does not have time to gain momentum,” he said.
