Ruling party ahead in largely shunned Congo Rep vote

BRAZZAVILLE – The party of President Denis Sassou Nguesso dominated as expected a first-round parliamentary election in the oil-exporting Central African state of Congo Republic, results showed on Friday, although the vote was widely shunned.

Opposition parties complained ahead of the elections that Nguesso’s Congolese Workers’ Party (PCT) had privileged access to state media in a country where past votes have been tainted with accusations of fraud.

Interior Minister Zephirin Mboulou acknowledged turnout had been weak but gave no official figure.

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