Congo-Brazzaville presidential election

Constitutional Court ratifies Sassou Nguesso re-election

Article published on the 2009-07-26 Latest update 2009-07-27 08:02 TU

Denis Sassou Nguesso on polling day
(Photo: AFP)

Opposition parties in Congo-Brazzaville slammed "a blow to democracy" after the Constitutional Court Saturday rejected their challenges to official results of the 12 July presidential election.

Government spokesperson Alain Akouala Atipault says that outgoing President Denis Sassou Nguesso will be sworn in for a fresh

seven-year term on 14 August when his existing mandate expires.

The court rejected challenges by five of his 12 opponents in the presidential race. It said their allegations of widespread fraud were "without foundation" and "irrelevant",

The results gave Sassou Nguesso 78.61 per cent of the votes.

Social Democrat presidential candidate Clément Mierrassa called the move "a blow to democracy".

The five opponents were due to hold meetings in six cities but sayu that Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou has banned the rallies. The ministry has not confirmed the claim. 

Mierressa said that the ban was a "curb [on] freedom of expression".