Hugues Ngouélondélé is a Congolese politician who was Mayor of Brazzaville from 2003 to 2017. He also served as a Deputy in the National Assembly of Congo-Brazzaville beginning in 2002. He has served in the government as Minister of Sports since 2017.
Political career Ngouélondélé is a son of General Emmanuel Ngouelondélé, who was a leading figure in the regime of President Denis Sassou Nguesso prior to 1992.Georges Dougueli, "Hugues Ngouélondélé", Jeune Afrique, 15 November 2009 . Hugues Ngouelondélé graduated from the Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville with a degree in law in 1983 and subsequently studied in Algeria, France, and Belgium.Cheikh Yérim Seck, "Hughes Ngouelondélé", Jeune Afrique, 16 November 2003 . He worked in the customs administration and represented Congo-Brazzaville at the World Customs Organization in March 1999.
In the May–June 2002 parliamentary election, he was elected to the National Assembly as an independent candidate in the second constituency of Moungali, located in Brazzaville;"Assemblée nationale : les élus du second tour et leur appartenance politique", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 28 June 2002 . he won the seat in a second round of voting. In June 2002, he was elected as a municipal councillor in Brazzaville at the head of an independent candidate list in Moungali. He then became Mayor of Brazzaville in February 2003,"Le nouveau maire de Brazzaville prend officiellement ses fonctions", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 25 February 2003 . succeeding Benoît Moundélé-Ngollo.
In the June 2007 parliamentary election, Ngouélondélé was again elected to the National Assembly as an independent candidate in Moungali II constituency; he won the seat in the first round with 50.20% of the vote."Elections législatives : les 44 élus du premier tour", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 2 July 2007 . Following the 29 June 2008 local elections, Ngouelondélé was re-elected as Mayor of Brazzaville by the city council on 30 July 2008. Nicéphore de Saint Eudes Fylla unsuccessfully challenged him for the position.Willy Mbossa, Roger Ngombé, and Thierry Noungou, "Elections municipales : Les nouveaux dirigeants des départements et des communes sont connus", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 31 July 2008 .
Although his father became a determined opponent of Sassou Nguesso during the multi-party era, Ngouélondélé has remained loyal to Sassou Nguesso. He married Ninelle Nguesso, a daughter of Sassou Nguesso, while his sister Michèle married Sassou Nguesso's nephew Edgar.
In the July–August 2012 parliamentary election, Ngouelondélé was a candidate in Gamboma—a constituency located in Plateaux Department, rather than Brazzaville—where he faced an opposition leader, Mathias Dzon."Hugues Ngouélondélé", La Lettre du Continent, number 638, Africa Intelligence, 28 June 2012 . Standing as the candidate of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT) in Gamboma I constituency, Ngouelondélé was elected in the first round with 54.88% of the vote."Résultats du premier tour des élections législatives 2012" , La Semaine Africaine, 24 July 2012 .
Standing as a PCT candidate, Ngouelondélé was elected as a local councillor in Moungali in the September 2014 local elections."Résultats des élections locales du 28 septembre 2014", ADIAC, 6 October 2014 . He was re-elected for another five-year term as Mayor, without opposition, by the city council on 23 October 2014.Josiane Mambou Loukoula, "Conseil départemental et municipal de Brazzaville : Hugues Ngouélondélé entame un troisième mandat de 5 ans", ADIAC, 23 October 2014 ."Congo : Hugues Ngouélondélé élu maire de Brazzaville pour la 3ème fois" , Xinhua, 24 October 2014 . He received 92 votes from the 100 councilors who voted.
In the July 2017 parliamentary election, Ngouelondélé stood unopposed as a candidate in the first constituency of Gamboma, with no other candidates standing in the constituency.Roger Ngombé, "Elections législatives : Des favoris et des duels attendus", ADIAC, 29 June 2017 . Following the election, Sassou Nguesso appointed Ngouelondélé to the government as Minister of Sports and Physical Education on 22 August 2017."Congo – Gouvernement : 35 membres forment la nouvelle équipe", Les Echos du Congo Brazzaville, 23 August 2017 .Trésor Kibangula, "Congo-Brazzaville : ce qu’il faut retenir du gouvernement Clément Mouamba 2", Jeune Afrique, 23 August 2017 . Christian Roger Okemba was elected to succeed Ngouelondélé as Mayor of Brazzaville on 24 August 2017."Municipalité : Christian Roger Okémba élu maire de Brazzaville", ADIAC, 24 August 2017 .
See also List of mayors of Brazzaville Timeline of Brazzaville
References