Activities and affiliations

What people did, and whom they served in that activity.

Reset

Political and party leadership · Congo - Brazzaville state institutions people 1

Political and party leadership × Congo - Brazzaville state institutions ×

Denis Sassou Nguesso

Denis Sassou Nguesso
Political and party leadership Congo - Brazzaville state institutions Congo - Brazzaville Congo - Brazzaville 1943–

Congolese Labour Party and the oil state

Our country will not be totally independent until our people are free of the yoke of poverty.

A military leader of the Congolese Labour Party who became president in 1979 after serving as defense minister. He led the one-party state and oil-financed development. The 1991 National Conference and multiparty transition changed the power structure of his first presidency.

Career timeline
  • 1968Took part in the coup that brought Ngouabi to power; founding member of the National Revolution Council
  • 1973Director of State Security
  • 1975Minister of Defense and Security (aged 32)
  • 1977First vice-president of the PCT Military Committee
  • 1979President of the People's Republic of Congo
  • 1986–1987Chairman of the Organization of African Unity
  • 1997Returned to power in the Second Civil War; sworn in as president
  • 2002Won the presidency under the new constitution (89.4%)