The President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso will seek a fourth term in office in the country’s March 2021 polls, despite holding on to power for 36 years.

The announcement was made by the country’s ruling coalition containing 17 political parties. Pierre Moussa, who serves as the acting chairman of the coalition made the news known while speaking at a press conference in the country. “Every party in the presidential majority opted, or will do so shortly, for President Sassou Nguesso’s candidacy,” he said before adding that “The presidential majority believes that of all its leaders, it is President Sassou Nguesso who holds all the trump cards.”

An oil-rich nation and neighbour of the more popular Democratic Republic of Congo led by President Feliz Tsishekedi, the Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, has been led by Sassou Nguesso who came into power in 1979. One of the longest-serving leaders in the world, Nguesso has cumulatively spent 36 years in power. Furthermore, a new referendum staged in 2015, successfully removed the 70-year-old age limit and the ban on presidents serving more than two terms.

The referendum paved way for President Sassou Nguesso to secure a third term in power during the elections of March 2016, which was marred by bloodshed.

His rivals, former general Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and former minister Andre Okombi Salissa, disputed the results. However, they were arrested, put on trial, and each handed 20 years in jail on charges of undermining state security.

The main party in the governing majority, the Congolese Party of Labour (PCT) headed by Moussa, had already named Sassou Nguesso as its candidate in a congress in Brazzaville, the capital, last December. Sassou Nguesso is yet to officially announce his candidacy as well as the precise date for the elections. He is set to announce on December 19, when he is scheduled to make a nationwide speech.