On Sunday, September 17, the Congolese government rubbished the reports of a coup attempt against President Denis Nguesso. Government spokesperson Teri Lezen Manqala denied rumours of a state coup saying that everything is calm.
Social media was rife with rumours of a coup in the African nation at a time when its President had arrived in New York to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
BREAKING! There is a military coup in Congo Brazaville at the moment. Congo president Nguesso is reported to be in US at the moment. He's been in power for decades. LETS GO! pic.twitter.com/IyuCZfBimj
— AfricaDigest (@africlandpost) September 17, 2023
Congo’s information minister Thierry Moungalla took to X, formerly Twitter, to deny the local media reports saying, “URGENT – Fanciful information suggests serious events that are underway at #Brazzaville . The Government denies this fake news. We reassure public opinion about the calm that reigns and invite people to calmly go about their activities. #ComGouvCg.”
URGENT – Des informations fantaisistes évoquent des événements graves qui seraient en cours à #Brazzaville. Le Gouvernement dément ces fake news. Nous rassurons l’opinion sur le calme qui règne et invitons les populations à vaquer sereinement à leurs activités. #ComGouvCg
— Thierry Moungalla (@ThMoungalla) September 17, 2023
The reports said that the identities of the coup plotters were unknown but suggested that the presidential guard commander had a role to play.
Rumours circulating on social media claimed that the military was taking control of strategic locations in Brazzaville, the capital of Congo. Brazzaville is located on the bank of the Congo River opposite Kinshasa, the capital of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Reports say that speculation about a coup in Congo has been rife since August after the military took over in Gabon following the victory of the ousted President Ali Bongo.
Congo President Nguesso, 79, had announced his arrival in New York on Sunday (17 September). He said, “My stay in the city is also an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and promote the summit of the three tropical forest basins to be held next month in Brazzaville.”
Nguesso won a fourth consecutive term in March 2021 with 88.57 per cent votes. He first assumed power in 1979 after a coup in 1977. He ran a one-party regime until 1992 when he lost the country’s first multi-party polls but returned to power in 1997.
Ever since, Nguesso, nicknamed “The Emperor”, has remained the President. He has been accused of fraud by the Opposition. In 2015, he made a constitutional reform allowing him to run for a new mandate in 2016.
