Former president of Congo Yombi Opango dies of coronavirus

Former president of Congo Yombi Opango dies of coronavirus

Yombi Opango, former president of the People’s Republic of Congo, has died of coronavirus in France.

The 81 years old had lived in exile in France since 1997 after he was ousted from power.

According to Les Echos, a French financial newspaper, Opango’s health had been deteriorating over the years.

His son Jean-Jacques said Opango died at a Paris hospital after contracting coronavirus.

Opango led Congo-Brazzaville from 1977 until he was toppled in 1979 by the country’s current leader Denis Sassou Nguesso.

BBC reports that he spent several years in prison before multi-party democracy was introduced in 1991 and served as prime minister until civil war broke out in 1997.

Congo has 19 reported cases of the COVID-19 disease.

Last week, the President closed the borders and imposed a state of emergency to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

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