A decisive Sunday inside Palais des Congrès
It was just after midday on 6 July 2025 when rows of immaculate khaki jackets and sober business suits filled the International Conference Hall of Brazzaville’s Palais des Congrès. The Association of Former Military Pupils of Congo, widely known by its French acronym AET, had called an extraordinary general meeting to review three years of work and, more keenly, to choose the crew that will navigate the next stretch. Ballot papers were counted under the watch of an independent commission and, according to official tallies later confirmed by local daily Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, Rémy Ayayos Ikounga sailed to re-election with an overwhelming majority.
A verdict greeted with salute and caution
Taking the lectern, the soft-spoken retired officer paused before promising, in a voice that carried across the marble hall, to “ensure with honour and dignity that our ship reaches safe harbour”. Observers from Radio Congo report that the applause lasted close to a minute. Yet in hushed corners some delegates hinted at the weighty expectations ahead. Rising education costs for current cadets and the need to modernise alumni support tools sit high on the internal agenda. Ikounga acknowledged the burden, adding that every member of the executive “has the same baptism of responsibility”.
Carrying a legacy of discipline and service
Created during the Second World War, the École Militaire Préparatoire Général Leclerc has long been a conveyor belt of disciplined talent for the Congo’s public administration, security services and private sector. Generations remember the 5 a.m. reveille, the spotless dormitory inspections and the trademark brass band that once led parades along Avenue de l’OUA. Many of today’s senior civil servants wore the same sky-blue epaulettes. Political analysts at the Université Marien Ngouabi note that this shared heritage grants the AET a rare transversal influence in the country’s social fabric, without necessarily slipping into partisanship.
An 80-year story headed for the spotlight
The clock is already ticking toward 2026, when the school will mark its 80th anniversary. Planning committees are sketching exhibitions of vintage uniforms, a documentary film and a scholarship drive for disadvantaged cadets. Ikounga told the assembly that the jubilee offers a timely rallying point to “tighten inter-generational bonds and showcase the values of citizenship, discipline and solidarity that forged us”. In private, organisers admit that sponsorship talks with public and private partners are still at an early stage, but optimism runs high after recent signals of support from the Ministry of Defence.
From Brazzaville to a continental network
Beyond national borders, the AET’s profile has grown since Congo hosted the founding meeting of the Federation of African Former Military Pupils in 2023. Today, alumni chapters from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal swap internship offers and cultural trips under its umbrella. Ikounga, who also chairs the federation, said the move aims to “project our voice across Africa and draw from each other’s associative experience”. Regional media house Africa24 described the network as a possible springboard for youth mentorship programmes with an unmistakably Pan-African flavour.
Finances and audit under the microscope
Before votes were cast, delegates scrutinised three key reports covering ethics, cash flow and project delivery between 2022 and 2025. The moral report cited successful charity visits to orphanages in Dolisie and Ouesso, while the financial statement listed contributions from nearly 1,300 paying members, a figure auditors want to boost by digitalising dues collection. The independent Control and Evaluation Commission, led by Alexandre Dzabatou, concluded that “accounts are balanced but reserves remain modest”, a finding echoed later by the national weekly La Semaine Africaine.
Fresh faces, seasoned hands in the cockpit
The new executive blends continuity and renewal. Known reformist Vice-President Armel Nzoulani retains his seat. René Nganongo, praised for straight-talk during budget debates, keeps the secretary-general portfolio alongside his deputy Serge Eugène Ghoma Boubanga. Communication will be steered by veteran journalist Michel Zamba, supported by Armel Elenga, while social affairs fall to Marcel Mabiala. Cultural and sports activities land in the energetic hands of Avicene Cléoface Nzikou. Financial controls stay with the meticulous duo of treasurer Arthur Ndey Moizibi and his deputy Li-Foscou Bouity. The line-up reflects what one delegate called “a cockpit mixing young blood and flight hours”.
Charting the course ahead
In the closing minutes, Ikounga invited every alumnus, from pensioner colonels in Pointe-Noire to recent graduates hustling in Oyo, to contribute ideas and, crucially, membership fees. The next statutory meeting is pencilled for January, when milestones toward the 80th anniversary will be reviewed. Speaking outside the hall, analyst Mireille Ndzaba summed up the mood: “Expectations are high but the habit of discipline is even higher.” Time, as always in military circles, will be the strictest judge.