Congo Denies Coup Attempt Amid Fake News

The government of Congo-Brazzaville has firmly denied recent allegations of a coup attempt against President Denis Nguesso, who has maintained his position for an uninterrupted 39 years.

These accusations emerged on various social media platforms, implying a coordinated effort by the military to oust the 79-year-old leader from his role. President Nguesso was in New York at the time of these rumors, participating in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In response to these claims, Information Minister Thierry Moungalla used the platform X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday to unequivocally reject them, stating, “The government unequivocally refutes the dissemination of false information. We want to reassure the public of the ongoing peace and encourage everyone to continue their daily activities calmly.”

The government’s official website also released a statement reaffirming its rejection of any reports concerning a coup attempt.

In recent months, there has been a notable increase in coup d’états across the African continent, with the most recent occurrence happening in neighbouring Gabon, where military forces assumed control in August.

Denis Nguesso initially rose to the presidency of this oil-rich Central African nation through a military coup in 1979. Although he faced a temporary setback in 1992 when he lost Congo’s initial multi-party elections, he later regained power in 1997 following a period of civil conflict.