Firmin Ayessa
Encyclopedia
Firmin Ayessa is a Congolese
politician. As a long-time associate of President Denis Sassou Nguesso
, Ayessa has held a series of key posts at the Presidency of Congo-Brazzaville; he was Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President from 1999 to 2002, Deputy Director of the Presidential Cabinet from 2002 to 2007, and he has been the Director of the Presidential Cabinet, with the rank of Minister of State, since 2007.
in the north of Congo-Brazzaville. A journalist by profession, he studied in France
; after returning to Congo-Brazzaville, he worked on radio and television beginning in 1977. He then served as an adviser at the Congolese embassy in Paris
from 1980 to 1983, and he was appointed as Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Communication in 1984. Later, he was Director-General of Audiovisuals and communications adviser to President Denis Sassou Nguesso
until 1992. In 1990, he joined the Congolese Labour Party (PCT); he was also elected to the PCT Central Committee in 1990.
Ayessa was elected to the Higher Council for the Freedom of Communication in March 1997. Sassou Nguesso regained power at the end of the June–October 1997 civil war, and he then appointed Ayessa to the government as Minister for the Organization of the National Forum, in charge of Relations with the National Council, on 2 November 1997. Ayessa was subsequently appointed as Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President, with the rank of Minister-Delegate, on 18 January 1999. He was deputy director of Sassou Nguesso's campaign for the March 2002 presidential election
, working under Isidore Mvouba
, the campaign director.
In the May 2002 parliamentary election
, Ayessa was elected to the National Assembly
as the PCT candidate in Makoua constituency, located in Cuvette Region
; he received 70.80% of the vote and won the seat in the first round. He was then moved from his post as Director of the Civil Cabinet to the post of Deputy Director of the Cabinet of the President, Head of the Department of Communication, and Spokesman of the President on 19 August 2002. Having held a succession of high-level posts under Sassou Nguesso, Ayessa was considered an influential adviser to the President.
Ayessa spent nearly five years as Deputy Director of the President's Cabinet, working under Aimé Emmanuel Yoka
. After Yoka was moved to the post of Minister of Justice, President Sassou Nguesso appointed Ayessa to succeed Yoka as Director of the President's Cabinet, with the rank of Minister of State, on 15 May 2007. He officially succeeded Yoka at a ceremony on 22 May 2007. Ayessa also stood again as the PCT candidate in Makoua in the June 2007 parliamentary election
; he won the seat in the first round with 99.59% of the vote.
In early June 2009, Ayessa was designated as Sassou Nguesso's National Campaign Director for the July 2009 presidential election
. Sassou Nguesso easily won the election amidst an opposition boycott.
Ayessa presided over the ceremony at which the Ninja militia leader Pasteur Ntoumi, who had earlier led a rebellion against the government, was installed in his office as Delegate-General for the Promotion of the Values of Peace and Repair of the Ravages of War in December 2009. At the ceremony, Ayessa expressed a spirit of reconciliation by saying that it was "an honor" to work with Ntoumi.
At the PCT's Sixth Extraordinary Congress, held in July 2011, Ayessa was elected to the PCT's 51-member Political Bureau.
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
politician. As a long-time associate of President Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997; he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party regime of the Congolese Labour Party for 12 years...
, Ayessa has held a series of key posts at the Presidency of Congo-Brazzaville; he was Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President from 1999 to 2002, Deputy Director of the Presidential Cabinet from 2002 to 2007, and he has been the Director of the Presidential Cabinet, with the rank of Minister of State, since 2007.
Political career
Ayessa was born in Ondza, located near MakouaMakoua
Makoua is a town in the Republic of the Congo, lying at the southern edge of the rainforest, north of Owando. It is home to an airport....
in the north of Congo-Brazzaville. A journalist by profession, he studied in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; after returning to Congo-Brazzaville, he worked on radio and television beginning in 1977. He then served as an adviser at the Congolese embassy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from 1980 to 1983, and he was appointed as Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Communication in 1984. Later, he was Director-General of Audiovisuals and communications adviser to President Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997; he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party regime of the Congolese Labour Party for 12 years...
until 1992. In 1990, he joined the Congolese Labour Party (PCT); he was also elected to the PCT Central Committee in 1990.
Ayessa was elected to the Higher Council for the Freedom of Communication in March 1997. Sassou Nguesso regained power at the end of the June–October 1997 civil war, and he then appointed Ayessa to the government as Minister for the Organization of the National Forum, in charge of Relations with the National Council, on 2 November 1997. Ayessa was subsequently appointed as Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President, with the rank of Minister-Delegate, on 18 January 1999. He was deputy director of Sassou Nguesso's campaign for the March 2002 presidential election
Republic of the Congo presidential election, 2002
A presidential election was held in the Republic of the Congo on 10 March 2002. This followed a civil war in 1997, which returned Denis Sassou Nguesso to power, and a subsequent transitional period, in which a new constitution was written and approved by referendum in January 2002.The election...
, working under Isidore Mvouba
Isidore Mvouba
Isidore Mvouba is a Congolese politician who was Prime Minister of Congo-Brazzaville from January 2005 to September 2009. He is a member of the Congolese Labour Party and has held key positions under President Denis Sassou-Nguesso since 1997.Mvouba was Director of the Cabinet of the Head of State...
, the campaign director.
In the May 2002 parliamentary election
Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 2002
A parliamentary election was held in the Republic of the Congo in 2002; the first round was held on 26 May and the second round on 20 June. The Congolese Labour Party and its allies won a majority of seats in the National Assembly....
, Ayessa was elected to the National Assembly
National Assembly of the Republic of the Congo
The Parliament of the Republic of Congo has two chambers. The lower house is the National Assembly . It has 153 members, for a five year term in single-seat constituencies.-See also:...
as the PCT candidate in Makoua constituency, located in Cuvette Region
Cuvette Region
Cuvette is a department of the Republic of the Congo in the central part of the country. It borders the departments of Cuvette-Ouest, Likouala, Plateaux, and Sangha, and internationally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital is Owando...
; he received 70.80% of the vote and won the seat in the first round. He was then moved from his post as Director of the Civil Cabinet to the post of Deputy Director of the Cabinet of the President, Head of the Department of Communication, and Spokesman of the President on 19 August 2002. Having held a succession of high-level posts under Sassou Nguesso, Ayessa was considered an influential adviser to the President.
Ayessa spent nearly five years as Deputy Director of the President's Cabinet, working under Aimé Emmanuel Yoka
Aimé Emmanuel Yoka
Aimé Emmanuel Yoka is a Congolese politician, currently serving in the government of Congo-Brazzaville as Minister of State for Justice and Human Rights.-Political career:...
. After Yoka was moved to the post of Minister of Justice, President Sassou Nguesso appointed Ayessa to succeed Yoka as Director of the President's Cabinet, with the rank of Minister of State, on 15 May 2007. He officially succeeded Yoka at a ceremony on 22 May 2007. Ayessa also stood again as the PCT candidate in Makoua in the June 2007 parliamentary election
Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 2002
A parliamentary election was held in the Republic of the Congo in 2002; the first round was held on 26 May and the second round on 20 June. The Congolese Labour Party and its allies won a majority of seats in the National Assembly....
; he won the seat in the first round with 99.59% of the vote.
In early June 2009, Ayessa was designated as Sassou Nguesso's National Campaign Director for the July 2009 presidential election
Republic of the Congo presidential election, 2009
A presidential election was held in the Republic of the Congo on 12 July 2009. Long-time President Denis Sassou Nguesso won another seven-year term with a large majority of the vote, but the election was marked by accusations of irregularities and fraud from the opposition; six opposition...
. Sassou Nguesso easily won the election amidst an opposition boycott.
Ayessa presided over the ceremony at which the Ninja militia leader Pasteur Ntoumi, who had earlier led a rebellion against the government, was installed in his office as Delegate-General for the Promotion of the Values of Peace and Repair of the Ravages of War in December 2009. At the ceremony, Ayessa expressed a spirit of reconciliation by saying that it was "an honor" to work with Ntoumi.
At the PCT's Sixth Extraordinary Congress, held in July 2011, Ayessa was elected to the PCT's 51-member Political Bureau.