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Denis Sassou N’guesso announced Thursday that he will run in the Republic of Congo’s presidential election on March 15, an announcement he made during a visit to an agricultural fair in Bambou Mingali, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Brazzaville.

The 82-year-old president framed his candidacy as a continuation of his political leadership, saying he will seek reelection in the March 15 vote. The announcement came as the government has already set the election date, moving it to March 15 from an initially planned March 22 date without giving a reason.

Sassou N’guesso first came to power in the oil-producing Central African country in 1979, served until the 1992 election, and then returned to office after taking control as a militia leader following a four-month civil war in 1997. Since then, he has remained at the helm and has won four elections against a fragmented opposition.

The president’s eligibility to seek another term has been tied to a 2015 referendum that removed presidential term and age limits. With those limits lifted, he has continued to be able to seek office despite having already held power for decades.

As in previous election cycles, Sassou N’guesso faces limited competition at the top of the field. The Pan-African Union for Social Democracy, the main opposition party, announced last week that it will not field a candidate, and the ruling Congolese Labor Party has already designated Sassou N’guesso as its nominee.

The absence of a major opposition candidate is expected to leave the president competing against roughly a dozen lesser-known challengers rather than a single primary rival. More than 10 candidates have declared their intention to run, including independent candidates Alexis Bongo and Frederic Bintsamou, who is known as Pastor Ntoumi.

In terms of political context, Sassou N’guesso’s long tenure has made his time in office among the longest in Africa, with only leaders in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon reported as having served more years. His latest decision to seek another term renews attention on how the opposition chooses to engage with elections in the Republic of Congo.

The announcement also arrives amid persistent concerns about living conditions in the country. The Associated Press report that youth unemployment in the Republic of Congo is about 42% according to World Bank statistics, and that poverty remains widespread even though the country is an oil producer, with only 15% of people in rural areas reported to have access to electricity.

The March 15 vote will therefore hinge less on a confrontation between rival front-runners and more on whether challengers can build traction without the main opposition party in the race.