Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso appears on course to win a fourth term, according to early results on Monday, as vote counting continues and despite the death of his main rival.
Sunday's presidential election was overshadowed by the sudden death of his main rival Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas, who passed away from coronavirus on polling day.
Provisional official results from 35 polling stations indicated that Sassou Nguesso, 77, was on track for a landslide first-round victory.
Final results are expected later this week tallies from about 40% of the 86 districts showed that Sassou Nguesso is ahead and in some areas won 100% of the vote, according to Reuters.
In the Poto-Poto district of the capital Brazzaville, he had picked up 89.15 percent of the vote, according to figures issued by the electoral commission.
"Across the country, the results are mostly in line with this trend," commission chief Henri Bouka said.
One of the world's longest-serving rulers, Sassou Nguesso was the frontrunner in an election boycotted by the main opposition and under an internet blackout.
In power for a total of 36 years, he has long been accused by critics of iron-fisted rule and turning a blind eye to corruption, poverty and inequality despite abundant oil wealth.
Kolelas, 61, his only significant challenger, died on Sunday aboard a medical plane that took him to Paris, his campaign director Christian Cyr Rodrigue Mayanda told AFP.
