Tensions between older and younger generations are surfacing in rural communities across Republic of the Congo as the country prepares for a presidential election widely expected to extend the long rule of incumbent leader Denis Sassou Nguesso.
In the small village of Mayitoukou, located about 30 kilometres from the capital Brazzaville, the upcoming vote has exposed sharp differences in political outlook between elderly residents who prioritise stability and younger citizens who feel excluded from economic progress.
Village chief Joseph Batangouna, 80, openly expressed frustration as he walked past a group of young men gathered by the roadside.
“Hoodlums,” he muttered, urging them to participate in Sunday’s vote and support Sassou Nguesso, who at 82 is seeking a fifth presidential term that would extend his nearly four decades in power.
“With the election coming, we have to go and vote for Sassou,” Batangouna told the young residents, warning that low voter turnout would weaken community participation in national politics.
However, several young villagers said they had little interest in voting.
“Me, I won’t go and vote because it’s always the same people in power,” said 27-year-old labourer Guelord Mienagata, reflecting a sentiment shared by many young Congolese who feel politically marginalised.
The Pool region, where Mayitoukou is located, has experienced long periods of instability since the Republic of the Congo Civil War in 1997. Many residents were forced to flee during the conflict.
Batangouna, who served as a sergeant during the war, remembers the hardship vividly.
“People’s feet were swollen from all the walking they had done,” he recalled. “We don’t want to flee anymore. We don’t want that again.”
Having served under Sassou Nguesso, Batangouna believes the veteran leader remains the country’s best guarantee of peace and stability.
“He has no competition,” the village chief said confidently, predicting a strong turnout in Mayitoukou and dismissing the possibility of a second round of voting.
Youth Disillusionment
Not far from the village road, a group of young men sat under a thatched shelter playing poker, coins stacked in the centre of the table.
Among them was Benie Mbakani, who said he had no intention of voting.
When Batangouna heard this, he shouted in protest, insisting the younger generation should respect his call to support the president. But Mbakani remained defiant.
“We have the right to vote for who we want,” he replied before leaving the table.
Younger residents say they feel excluded from opportunities that were available to earlier generations. Many have tried to find work in Brazzaville but returned home after failing to secure employment.
Today, some rely on charcoal production for income, earning between 100,000 and 300,000 CFA francs per month.
“In Congo, there’s nothing there’s no economy,” said Mienagata. “We have jobs, but we don’t produce anything.”
Struggles Over Livelihood and Environment
More than half of the population in the Republic of the Congo lives below the poverty line, according to economic estimates.
Batangouna blames what he describes as the younger generation’s pursuit of “easy money” and criticises the widespread cutting of trees in nearby forests to produce charcoal.
He and his wife, Antoinette, have spent decades farming steep fields to grow cassava and bananas, a livelihood that has taken a physical toll on their family.
The village chief says he hopes younger residents will return to farming, in line with government calls to strengthen agricultural production.
However, local elders say only the older generation is embracing the effort. Some community leaders report facing hostility when attempting to discourage deforestation or guide younger residents toward agriculture.
At one point during the conversation, a young man walked past the elders carrying a machete over his shoulder. On his T-shirt, written in large glittering letters, were the words: “I hate you.”
The scene encapsulated the widening generational divide shaping political attitudes in rural Congo as the country heads toward another decisive election.
