The former president of the Republic of Congo, Jacques Joaquim Yhombi-Opango, died from the coronavirus in Paris, France. He was 81 years old and was already ill before contracting the virus.
The ex-leader was born in 1939 and rose to power as an army leader. He assumed control of the country after the assassination of President Marien Ngouabi, who had aligned Congo with the Soviet Union during his reign from 1968-1977.
He led the country from 1977-1979, and was then ousted by the current leader, Denis Sassou Nguesso, who was in power from 1979-1992 and remains in power to this day after regaining control in 1997.
Yhombi-Opango was accused of leading a coup against Sassou Nguesso and was jailed from 1987-1990. After he was released, he served as Prime Minister from 1993-1996 during a fractious period that began with the introduction of a multi-party democracy and ended with a civil war, after which Sassou Nguesso took back control of the republic and became the president once again.
The former president, Yhombi-Opango, went into exile in France in 1997, but was allowed to return to the Republic of Congo in 2007. He has since been shuttling between the two countries due to health complications.
Congo thus far has 19 cases of COVID-19, with no reported deaths in the country.
Image Source: Okay Africa
Ex-Congolese President, Jacques Joaquim Yhombi-Opango, Dies from Coronavirus
He served as President from 1977-1979, and as Prime Minister from 1993-1996.
April 1, 2020
