Congo Brazzaville: Mafia world of the Nguessos

The Nguesso ruling family as already mentioned is present in all sectors of the Congolese economy and not all are big winners. However the system operates like a mafia world, wherein the mafia boss who the President seldom gives written instructions. All recommendations or instructions are given verbally or orally.

Beneficiaries of Kleptocracy

And as a keen observer, I have come to the conclusion that,  the main beneficiaries of the Kleptocratic system in place in Brazzaville are those whose names are mentioned as  main support of the regime: Denis Sassou Nguesso, Antoinette Sassou Nguesso (wife of the president), Maurice Nguesso, Claudia Sassou Nguesso and Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, others are: Ninelle Sassou Nguesso, Julienne Johnson nee Julienne Nguesso, Cendrine Otenello Sassou Nguesso, Jean Dominique Okemba, Wilfried Nguesso, Edgard Nguesso and Jean Jacques Bouya. However the latter mentioned names are not an exhaustive list.

Overwhelming presence

For example, if a businessman or a contractor that has executed a government awarded contract and as usual, he/she finds it difficult to be paid in any government ministries, he /she doesn’t have to bother. All the businessman/woman or contractor needs to do is to find one of the many children of the President or children of his elder brother, Maurice Nguesso, the specialist, being Rodrigue Nguesso. Once one of the children of the ruling family is found, he/she will take the contractor who has not been paid to the ministry concern. There, just the mention of the name Nguesso and in addition: son or nephew or niece to the president, it will work out miracles. The contractor, along with a member of the ruling family will go straight to see the minister and his/ her unsettled bills will be paid. And when that is done; the son/nephew or niece of the president who facilitated the payment will be given a percentage that is almost always agreed in advance. 

Wamba Sassou Nguesso

While almost all the sons/nephews and nieces of the President are involved in such deals, the one who has taken such services as his job is Arnaud Wamba Sassou Nguesso, one of the most violent sons of Sassou Nguesso. He is married Ikobo Sassou Nguesso, nee Ibata. Besides spending time in night clubs or seizing the wives or girlfriends of Congolese men or brutalizing them, Wamba has no clearly defined profession. Although he has spent sometimes in the United States, it is not clear whether it was for studies and even if it were for studies, it is not clear or known which course  he studied and in which University. Another thing that he is known of while he was in the United States is that, he owns a bank account at the Bank of America, wherein he is reported to have regularly received money wired from the Congolese treasury in Brazzaville. One of his friends told me that, the highest amount he is reported to have been wired from the Congolese treasury in Brazzaville is the sum of FCFA 500 million.