Congo in Shock as Opposition Leader Lassy Mbouity Abducted in Brazzaville

By iNewsAfrica Staff Writer
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo | May 17, 2025

Political tensions in the Republic of Congo have escalated following the brazen abduction of prominent opposition leader Lassy Mbouity in the capital, Brazzaville.

Eyewitnesses say the leader of the Les Socialistes Congolais party was forcibly taken from his residence on Sunday, May 11, by masked men in an unmarked vehicle—days after surviving an apparent assassination attempt.

Mbouity, who recently declared his candidacy for the March 2026 presidential election, has been a vocal critic of President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s administration. His party has openly accused the government of orchestrating the kidnapping, calling it part of a “systematic campaign of political repression.”

“We are convinced Brazzaville’s dictatorial regime is behind this. It’s not the first time,” said Martial Mbourangon Pa’nucci, party spokesperson.

In a unified response, several opposition parties released a joint statement condemning the act as a “cowardly act of political terror” and demanded Mbouity’s immediate and unconditional release. Clément Mierassa, leader of the Congolese Social Democratic Party, warned that the abduction violates Article 9 of the 2015 Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ personal freedoms.

The Congolese Human Rights Organization has urgently appealed to international stakeholders, calling on regional bodies and global democracies to intervene and demand accountability.

As of press time, the Sassou Nguesso-led government has remained silent on the accusations.

Mbouity’s disappearance adds to a growing list of political crackdowns in the country. Former presidential candidates Jean-Marie Mokoko and André Okombi Salissa are among those previously detained under controversial circumstances.

With Congo’s next presidential vote less than a year away, this incident has reignited fears over the erosion of civil liberties and democratic space in the Central African nation.

iNewsAfrica will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more details emerge.