The government of the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, headed by President Denis Sassou Nguesso has denied rumours of a coup attempt in his country.

On Sunday, several social media accounts claimed a coup attempt was ongoing in the country while the president was away.

But the country’s Minister of Communication and Media, Thierry Moungalla, hurriedly debunked it via his X (formerly Twitter) page.

“URGENT – Fanciful information suggests serious events that are underway in Brazzaville.

“The Government denies this fake news. We reassure public opinion about the calm that reigns and invite people to calmly go about their activities,” the minister tweeted.

The country’s president is a former military officer who has been in power since 1997.

It would be recalled that Africa has experienced seven coups since August 2020, before the one in Gabon.

On July 26, 2023, the military announced that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum. General Abdourahamane Tiani becomes the new strongman of the country.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced on August 10 its intention to deploy a regional force to “restore constitutional order”, while continuing to favour the diplomatic route.

The military proposes a transition period of “three years” maximum before returning power to civilians.

Burkina Faso had two putsches in 8 months.

On January 24, 2022, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was ousted from power by the military. Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was inaugurated president in February.

On September 30, Damiba was in turn dismissed from his position by the military. Captain Ibrahim Traoré was invested as transitional president until a presidential election scheduled for July 2024.

In Sudan, on October 25, 2021, soldiers led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane chased out the transitional civilian leaders, who were supposed to lead the country towards democracy after 30 years of dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir, himself deposed in 2019.

Since April 15, 2023, a war due to a power struggle between General Burhane and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdane Daglo has killed at least 5,000 people in the country.

In Guinea, on September 5, 2021, President Alpha Condé was overthrown by a military coup. On October 1, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya became president.

The military has promised to return the place to elected civilians by the end of 2024.

In Mali, two coups took place in 9 months.

On August 18, 2020, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was overthrown by the military, a transitional government was formed in October.

But on May 24, 2021, the military arrested the president and the Prime Minister. Colonel Assimi Goïta was inaugurated in June as transitional president.

The junta has committed to returning the place to civilians after the elections scheduled for February 2024.

Early on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, a group of Gabonese military officers announced a takeover of power and an annulment of the results of Saturday’s election, which they claimed lacked credibility.

The announcement came shortly after the state election body said President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won a third term in office in the disputed elections.

The son of former President Omar Bongo who ruled Gabon from 1967-2009, Ali Bongo, has ruled the country since 2009.