Kindamba rally backs Sassou 2026 run
Under a fierce September sun, Mbiemo Square in Kindamba turned into a sea of national colours as hundreds gathered to renew their plea for President Denis Sassou Nguesso to seek a fresh mandate in the March 2026 poll, according to local press reports.
The gathering formed part of National Assembly Speaker Isidore Mvouba’s constituency tour, blending parliamentary accountability with political mobilisation. Hand-painted banners read “Continuity for Development”, while drums and whistles set a festive tone echoed by village chiefs lining the podium.
Speaker Mvouba told the crowd that the turnout confirmed Kindamba’s “historic Declaration of 14 March 2025”, when residents first urged the head of state to run again. “Your presence speaks louder than any petition,” he said, prompting chants of “Sassou 2026”.
Youth and women shape call for continuity
A spokesman for the district’s youth stepped forward, insisting the time for lengthy rhetoric had passed. “Our stance is clear: we stand ready to back His Excellency Denis Sassou Nguesso, the natural candidate,” he declared, drawing cheers from students and motorcycle-taxi drivers clustered near the stage.
Several young participants later told reporters they credit recent classroom refurbishments and apprenticeship schemes to national stability. “Opportunities appear when peace holds,” 22-year-old Yvon Moukassa said, waving his voter card.
Women’s associations, clad in bright patterned pagnes, echoed the request, hailing the president as “camarade” and guardian of national cohesion. Their representative said continuity would allow ongoing agricultural micro-credit projects to mature, positioning households to lift themselves further out of poverty.
Speaker Mvouba sets civic checklist
While welcoming the endorsement, Isidore Mvouba warned that enthusiasm must translate into concrete steps. “A call alone is not enough. To vote, you must appear on the rolls,” he reminded the audience, urging first-time voters to register and long-time electors to verify their names.
The National Assembly president framed voter registration as a patriotic duty that cements the legitimacy of future leaders. “Every legitimate voice counts when we chart the nation’s course,” he said, before outlining dates for the forthcoming electoral list revision announced by the Ministry of Territorial Administration.
Mvouba also highlighted the role of local councils, encouraging chiefs to steer residents toward registration centres and help illiterate citizens navigate forms. “Inclusivity makes democracy meaningful,” he concluded, earning nods from elders seated in woven-rattan chairs.
Rehabilitated road signals economic lifeline
Infrastructure dominated a second strand of the speech. Mvouba praised government efforts that kicked off on 8 August to rehabilitate the 25-kilometre Mpiem–Kindamba road, a 1.7-billion-FCFA project entrusted to Universelle Atlantique BTP and Sipam.
“The asphalt you see rolling out is not just tar; it is a lifeline for cassava, timber and people,” he observed, noting that President Sassou Nguesso had personally tasked State Minister Jean-Jacques Bouya with completing the route and the pending Ngamanzambala section. Traders at the rally said shorter travel times could halve transport costs to Brazzaville.
Ecumenical service underscores shared peace
Ahead of the rally, Speaker Mvouba and local clergy held an ecumenical service at Saint-Théophile parish, invoking peace and unity. Vicar Gildas Mouanda recalled the Gospel of John, describing ecumenism as “a prayer embedded in God’s own heart”.
Lieutenant Habib Mampouya of the Salvation Army said the service aimed to amplify a message of cohesion across denominations. “Political seasons stir passion; prayer tempers it,” he reflected after the hymns.
Pastor André Mamboueni of the Evangelical Church of Congo urged collective vigilance. “When discord erodes communities, we must ask the divine to restore peace within our hearts,” he told the congregation before clergy prayed for blessings on the nation’s institutions and its chief of state.
Eyes turn to the 2025 electoral revision
With the electoral list revision slated for 2025, local administrators foresee a logistical push to cover scattered hamlets. District officer Martine Ngouabi said mobile teams armed with tablets will criss-cross valleys to cut travel distances for remote voters.
Civil-society observer Jean Boussou noted that transparent registration underpins public trust. “When citizens see their names displayed correctly, they feel part of the process,” he commented, adding that early planning could prevent long queues.
Residents leaving the square voiced cautious optimism. Fisherman Arnaud Ngoma called the day “a reminder that development and democracy walk together”, while teacher Clarisse Sounda said the new road would finally let textbooks arrive on schedule. Both promised to complete their voter formalities well before the 2026 deadline.