1992 Republic of the Congo presidential election

Presidential elections were held in the Republic of the Congo in August 1992, marking the end of the transitional period that began with the February–June 1991 National Conference. It was won by Pascal Lissouba of the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), who defeated Bernard Kolélas of the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI) in a second round of voting.

1992 Republic of the Congo presidential election

8 August 1992 (1992-08-08) (first round)
16 August 1992 (1992-08-16) (second round)
2002 →
Turnout59.44% (first round)
61.61% (second round)
 
Nominee Pascal Lissouba Bernard Kolélas
Party UPADS MCDDI
Popular vote 506,395 319,396
Percentage 61.32% 38.68%

President before election

Denis Sassou Nguesso
PCT

Elected President

Pascal Lissouba
UPADS

In the first round, held on 8 August, Lissouba, who had served as Prime Minister in the 1960s, placed first with 36% of the vote, outperforming Kolélas, an opposition figure since the 1960s, who won 20%, and Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the former ruling party, the Congolese Labor Party (PCT), who won 17%. Sassou-Nguesso had been President since 1979 but only in a ceremonial capacity since the National Conference. Prime Minister André Milongo, who led the country during the transition but whose government had lost its responsibility for organizing the election after the local election of May 1992 proved controversial, ran as an independent candidate and placed fourth with 10%. Two former leading figures of the PCT, Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya of the Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS) and Joachim Yhombi-Opango of the Rally for Democracy and Development (RDD), placed fifth and sixth with 6% and 3% respectively.

In the first round, Lissouba enjoyed overwhelming support in the three regions collectively known as NibolekNiari (88.7%), Bouenza (80.6%), and Lékoumou (91.7%). Kolélas won a first round majority only in the Pool Region (64.4%), although he also won a plurality in Brazzaville, the capital (29.9%). Sassou-Nguesso dominated the north, winning first round majorities in Plateaux (57.6%) and Likouala (58.5%) and pluralities in Cuvette (47.9%) and Sangha (41.9%). Tchicaya and Yhombi-Opango made strong showings in certain regions—the former won 28% of the vote (behind Lissouba's 40%) in Kouilou Region, which includes Pointe-Noire, the country's second largest city, and the latter won 27% of the vote in Cuvette Region.[1]

With Sassou-Nguesso's support, Lissouba defeated Kolélas in the second round with 61% of the vote. Lissouba won all regions in the second round except Brazzaville, Pool, and Kouilou.[1]

Results

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The official number of valid votes cast in the first round was reported to be 785,981, 1,900 higher than the total of votes received by each candidate. Voter turnout was reported to be 59.6% based on this figure.[2]

CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Pascal LissoubaPan-African Union for Social Democracy282,02035.97506,39561.32
Bernard KolélasCongolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development159,68220.37319,39638.68
Denis Sassou-NguessoCongolese Party of Labour131,34616.75
André MilongoIndependent79,97910.20
Jean-Pierre Thystère TchicayaRally for Democracy and Social Progress45,4665.80
Joachim Yhombi-OpangoRally for Democracy and Development27,9533.57
Charles David GanaoUnion of Democratic Forces22,5142.87
Paul KayaIndependent15,2771.95
Gongarad N'kouaPatriotic Union for Democracy and Progress5,2720.67
Clement MierassaCongolese Social Democratic Party4,2980.55
Jean-Martin M'bembéUnion for Progress3,5580.45
Alphonse Souchlaty PoatyRepublican Union for Progress2,3780.30
Gabriel BokiloUnion for National Recovery2,2960.29
Angèle BandouRDPSEL9800.12
Makangou LoukamyFriendly Union for Complete Change6490.08
Corentin Auguste KoubaRally for Unity, Democracy and Liberty4130.05
Total784,081100.00825,791100.00
Valid votes784,08198.97825,79199.27
Invalid/blank votes8,2001.036,0360.73
Total votes792,281100.00831,827100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,332,82159.441,350,24161.61
Source: Nohlen et al.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b John F. Clark, "Congo: Transition and the Struggle to Consolidate", in Political Reform in Francophone Africa (1997), ed. John F. Clark and David E. Gardinier, pages 70–71.
  2. ^ Elections in Congo-Brazzaville [Republic of the Congo] African Elections Database
  3. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, pp273-274 ISBN 0-19-829645-2