With our correspondent in Brazzaville, Loïcia Martial

According to those close to him, the former finance minister paid his deposit of 25 million CFA francs on Monday. On Wednesday, he went to file his candidacy application with the DGAE in the company of a number of his supporters.

Mathias Dzon read a statement in which he assured national and international opinion that he was in good health, as evidenced by the medical certificate attached to his file, issued by three doctors from the Constitutional Court. He then answered journalists' questions.

"I am a reassured candidate, reassured because it is duty that commands me to do so. This duty we assume without hesitation. We are taking part in this election because the vote is sanctioned in the ballot box. As for my chances, I do not know if normally someone can beat me. I am going to win. Let every Congolese put their ballot (in the ballot box) and it is this ballot that will count for the choice of who will lead the destiny of our country," declared the candidate.

A former executive at the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Finance Minister between 1997 and 2002, Mathias Dzon was also a member of parliament for the first constituency of Gamboma in the Plateaux (Center) between 1992 and 1997. He is trying his luck for the second time in the presidential election after 2009.