Rear Admiral Jean Dominique Okemba: heir apparent of Denis Sassou Nguesso

For had the rival of Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso in the 2012 legislative elections, not been forced to quit, Denis Christel and the ruling PCT would have registered their greatest upset in that year’s legislative elections. Furthermore, even when his rival was forced out of the race, heavy fraud, corruption, coupled with the personal involvement of his uncle Maurice Nguesso was needed to convince the 27 villages that make up the Oyo district to vote in favor of Denis-Christel Sassou Nguesso, the son of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. For the son of the President who was the lone candidate in the Oyo electoral district and flag bearer of the Congolese Workers Party of PCT  encountered  stiff hostility from the natives of Oyo. The natives of Oyo referred to Denis-Christel Sassou Nguesso as “Kiki le Zairois” a euphemism to claim that Denis-Christel Sassou Nguesso is not a Congolese or not an ethnic Mbouchi enough. It therefore required the dexterity of his uncle Maurice Nguesso to convince the natives of the district of Oyo that, Denis-Christel was one of theirs.

As already mentioned, even though Denis -Christel Sassou Nguesso was alone in the 2012 legislative elections, the elections organizing body still had to cheat and allocated to the heir apparent of President Denis Sassou Nguesso a soviet style electoral score of 100%. Christel Denis Sassou Nguesso might be groomed to succeed his father, the same way that, Omar Bongo Ondimba prepared his son Ali Bongo Ondimba to succeed him as Gabon’s president. Anyway that is what people likes Michel Ngakala do desire and are working or laying the ground works. The reality is that, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso can’t rule Congo not because he doesn’t have the capacity, but more because all those supporting Denis Sassou Nguesso might be divided, but they are united on one thing: that, no son or daughter of Denis Sassou Nguesso should be accepted as President of Congo. Nevertheless, there are also many others within the ruling Nguesso family who are also planning to succeed their father or uncle. Amongst them, two are visible and well prepared.

They are Jean Dominique Okemba and Jean Jacques Bouya. And between both men, who stands the most or has the greatest chance of succeeding? It is Jean Dominique Okemba. Why? It is simply because Jean Dominique Okemba is straightforward and crafty. He has money and commands a solid network of loyalists within the security apparatus of the state: Army, Navy, Air force, Police and Customs. He also has connections within the civil society and political parties of the opposition as well as in the majority. The icing on the cake is that within the government, he has ministers who are there because of him. Furthermore, the fact that, he is not highly educated makes others within and without the family, who have the tendency or presidential ambitions, to look down on him or tend to ignore him and this, to their very own detriment and also their ambitions. The list of Jean Dominique Okemba’s victims is impressive and the most prized of his contemporary victims is Colonel Marcel Nstourou. And within the family, his victims in the internal power struggle are Colonel Hillaire Mokou and Maurice Nguesso and also General Pierre Oba. Jean Dominique Okemba is the most influential member of the ruling family. However, there are others as well.They are:  Aime Emmanuel Yoka, Maurice Nguesso, Denis-Christel Sassou Nguesso, Wilfried Nguesso, Edgard Nguesso, Claudia Sassou Nguesso, Cendrine Sassou Nguesso, Ninelle Sassou Nguesso and Lydie Hortense Kourissa.