Rigobert Ngouolali
Encyclopedia
Rigobert Ngouolali is a Congolese
politician. He served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville as Minister of Water, Forests, and Fishing during the 1990s, and he has been President of Action for the Rebirth of Congo (ARC), a political party, since 2009.
, Ngouolali is a water and forestry engineer by profession. He was Co-Director of the Forester Center for Training and Demonstration, a United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) project based in Mossendjo
, from 1967 to 1969. Ngouolali then worked as Director of Water and Forests at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Forests from 1969 to 1976. Subsequently he was Congo-Brazzaville's Representative to the African Timber Organization, based in Libreville
, from 1976 to 1990. Ngouolali was the African Timber Organization's Director of Industrialization from 1976 to 1981 and its Deputy Secretary-General from 1981 to 1990. He then worked as Deputy Director-General of the Industrial Afforestation Unit of Congo from 1990 to 1991.
(UFD), a political party led by David-Charles Ganao, and he became the First Vice-President of the UFD. In the May 1992 local elections, Ngouolali was elected as a municipal councillor in Brazzaville
. He was then elected to the National Assembly
in the June–July 1992 parliamentary election
as the UFD candidate in Talangaï, the sixth arrondissement of Brazzaville.
The National Assembly elected in 1992 sat for only a few months before it was dissolved by President Pascal Lissouba
, who preferred to call another election rather than cooperate with an opposition-controlled National Assembly. In the May–June 1993 parliamentary election
, Ngouolali was re-elected to the National Assembly as the UFD candidate in Talangaï. The Presidential Tendency, a coalition of parties that supported Lissouba and included the UFD, won a parliamentary majority in that election.
Although the opposition furiously contested the official results of the 1993 election, President Lissouba proceeded to appoint a new government based on his parliamentary majority on 23 June 1993. In that government, led by Prime Minister Joachim Yhombi-Opango
, Ngouolali was appointed as Minister of Water, Forests, and Fishing. He was not included in the government appointed on 23 January 1995.
, Ngouolali stood again as a candidate for the sixth constituency of Talangaï, but he was defeated. He subsequently left the UFD in October 2007, objecting to the party's decision to join the Presidential Majority supporting President Denis Sassou Nguesso
; according to Ngouolali, that decision was made by the leadership without properly consulting the rest of the party. He then formed a new political party, the Action for the Rebirth of Congo (ARC), which he officially launched on 12 January 2008. The ARC initially drew most of its support from the Talangaï section of Brazzaville. It joined an opposition coalition, the Alliance for a New Republic (ANR), in November 2008.
In February 2009, together with 17 other opposition leaders, Ngouolali signed an agreement on the creation of a front intended to defeat President Sassou Nguesso in the July 2009 presidential election
. Ngouolali was one of 17 individuals who applied to stand as candidates in that election. However, in a ruling on 18 June 2009, the Constitutional Court rejected Ngouolali's candidacy on the grounds that he had provided a post office box number
instead of identifying a place of residence. According the Court, Ngouolali had thus failed to prove his continuous residency in Congo-Brazzaville over the preceding two years, as required by the Constitution. Ngouolali was one of four candidates whose applications were rejected by the Court.
Speaking on 23 June 2009, Ngouolali complained that he did not understand why his candidate application was rejected, noting that he had documentation demonstrating his residency in Brazzaville. According to Ngouolali, an official had told him that, because he lived in an apartment, it would be acceptable for him to list a post office box instead of a street address. Nevertheless, Ngouolali stressed that he respected the Court's decision; his reluctance to criticize the Court stood in contrast to statements from some other opposition leaders, who did not hesitate to denounce the Court's rulings as politically motivated. He expressed his hope that "one day, when the sun of freedom, genuine democracy, national unity, and reconciliation truly shine on Congo", he could participate in a "genuine opposition".
Marking the ARC's second anniversary at festivities in Brazzaville on 19 February 2010, Ngouolali said that the elections held under Sassou Nguesso were not genuinely democratic, and he called on his party to work for a return to the kind of democratic elections that were held in the 1990s. He argued that the ARC's strength was not reflected in the official results of the 2008 local elections.
The ARC was included in an opposition coalition, the Front of Congolese Opposition Parties (FPOC), and at FPOC's third national convention, held in Brazzaville on 9–10 April 2011, Ngouolali was elected as President of FPOC. He succeeded Clément Mierassa
at the head of the coalition; its leadership was held on a rotating basis.
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. He served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville as Minister of Water, Forests, and Fishing during the 1990s, and he has been President of Action for the Rebirth of Congo (ARC), a political party, since 2009.
Profession career
A graduate of the National School of Water and Forestry Engineering (École nationale des ingénieurs des travaux des eaux et forêts, ENITEF) in FranceFrance
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...
, Ngouolali is a water and forestry engineer by profession. He was Co-Director of the Forester Center for Training and Demonstration, a United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
(UNDP) project based in Mossendjo
Mossendjo
- Infrastructure :Mossendjo is a fairly rapidly growing city of approximately 10,000 people. It is the regional hub city of the Chaillu Massif mountainous region, north of Dolisie and south of Mayoko and Mbinda. The infrastructure of Mossendjo has been greatly improved since 2006, owing to the...
, from 1967 to 1969. Ngouolali then worked as Director of Water and Forests at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Forests from 1969 to 1976. Subsequently he was Congo-Brazzaville's Representative to the African Timber Organization, based in Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
, from 1976 to 1990. Ngouolali was the African Timber Organization's Director of Industrialization from 1976 to 1981 and its Deputy Secretary-General from 1981 to 1990. He then worked as Deputy Director-General of the Industrial Afforestation Unit of Congo from 1990 to 1991.
Political career during the 1990s
Ngouolali participated in the February–June 1991 National Conference, which initiated a political transition leading to multiparty elections. After the National Conference, he helped to found the Union of Democratic ForcesUnion of Democratic Forces (Republic of the Congo)
The Union of Democratic Forces is a political party in the Republic of the Congo. In the parliamentary election held on June 24 and August 5 2007, the party won 1 out of 137 seats....
(UFD), a political party led by David-Charles Ganao, and he became the First Vice-President of the UFD. In the May 1992 local elections, Ngouolali was elected as a municipal councillor in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
. He was then 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:...
in the June–July 1992 parliamentary election
Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 1992
Parliamentary elections were held in the Republic of the Congo in 1992, along with a presidential election, marking the end of the transition to multiparty politics. The election was held in two rounds, the first on 24 June 1992 and the second on 19 July 1992...
as the UFD candidate in Talangaï, the sixth arrondissement of Brazzaville.
The National Assembly elected in 1992 sat for only a few months before it was dissolved by President Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to October 15, 1997. He was overthrown by the current President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the 1997 civil war....
, who preferred to call another election rather than cooperate with an opposition-controlled National Assembly. In the May–June 1993 parliamentary election
Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 1993
Parliamentary elections were held in the Republic of the Congo on 2 May 1993, with a second round in several constituencies on 6 June. The result was a victory for the Presidential Tendency coalition, which won 65 of the 125 seats in the National Assembly....
, Ngouolali was re-elected to the National Assembly as the UFD candidate in Talangaï. The Presidential Tendency, a coalition of parties that supported Lissouba and included the UFD, won a parliamentary majority in that election.
Although the opposition furiously contested the official results of the 1993 election, President Lissouba proceeded to appoint a new government based on his parliamentary majority on 23 June 1993. In that government, led by Prime Minister Joachim Yhombi-Opango
Joachim Yhombi-Opango
Jacques Joachim Yhombi Opango is a Congolese politician. He was an army officer who became Congo-Brazzaville's first general and served as Head of State of Congo-Brazzaville from 1977 to 1979. He is currently the President of the Rally for Democracy and Development , a political party, and served...
, Ngouolali was appointed as Minister of Water, Forests, and Fishing. He was not included in the government appointed on 23 January 1995.
Political activities since 2007
In the June 2007 parliamentary electionRepublic of the Congo parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in the Republic of the Congo on 24 June 2007, with a second round initially planned for 22 July 2007, but then postponed to 5 August 2007. According to the National Commission of the Organization of the Elections , 1,807 candidates stood in the first round for 137...
, Ngouolali stood again as a candidate for the sixth constituency of Talangaï, but he was defeated. He subsequently left the UFD in October 2007, objecting to the party's decision to join the Presidential Majority supporting 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...
; according to Ngouolali, that decision was made by the leadership without properly consulting the rest of the party. He then formed a new political party, the Action for the Rebirth of Congo (ARC), which he officially launched on 12 January 2008. The ARC initially drew most of its support from the Talangaï section of Brazzaville. It joined an opposition coalition, the Alliance for a New Republic (ANR), in November 2008.
In February 2009, together with 17 other opposition leaders, Ngouolali signed an agreement on the creation of a front intended to defeat President Sassou Nguesso in 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...
. Ngouolali was one of 17 individuals who applied to stand as candidates in that election. However, in a ruling on 18 June 2009, the Constitutional Court rejected Ngouolali's candidacy on the grounds that he had provided a post office box number
Post Office box
A post-office box or Post Office box is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station....
instead of identifying a place of residence. According the Court, Ngouolali had thus failed to prove his continuous residency in Congo-Brazzaville over the preceding two years, as required by the Constitution. Ngouolali was one of four candidates whose applications were rejected by the Court.
Speaking on 23 June 2009, Ngouolali complained that he did not understand why his candidate application was rejected, noting that he had documentation demonstrating his residency in Brazzaville. According to Ngouolali, an official had told him that, because he lived in an apartment, it would be acceptable for him to list a post office box instead of a street address. Nevertheless, Ngouolali stressed that he respected the Court's decision; his reluctance to criticize the Court stood in contrast to statements from some other opposition leaders, who did not hesitate to denounce the Court's rulings as politically motivated. He expressed his hope that "one day, when the sun of freedom, genuine democracy, national unity, and reconciliation truly shine on Congo", he could participate in a "genuine opposition".
Marking the ARC's second anniversary at festivities in Brazzaville on 19 February 2010, Ngouolali said that the elections held under Sassou Nguesso were not genuinely democratic, and he called on his party to work for a return to the kind of democratic elections that were held in the 1990s. He argued that the ARC's strength was not reflected in the official results of the 2008 local elections.
The ARC was included in an opposition coalition, the Front of Congolese Opposition Parties (FPOC), and at FPOC's third national convention, held in Brazzaville on 9–10 April 2011, Ngouolali was elected as President of FPOC. He succeeded Clément Mierassa
Clément Miérassa
Clément Miérassa is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Congolese Social Democratic Party since 1990. He served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville as Minister of Trade from 1991 to 1992 and as Minister of Industrial Development from 1992 to 1993...
at the head of the coalition; its leadership was held on a rotating basis.