In a dramatic turn of events, a group of uniformed Gabonese soldiers has taken to national television to announce the dissolution of all state institutions and the cancellation of the country’s contentious elections. This extraordinary declaration comes in the wake of the recent presidential race, which declared longtime leader Ali Bongo as the winner.
During a live address in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the soldiers proclaimed their intent to “defend peace by putting an end to the current regime.” They asserted that they were acting on behalf of the “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions,” as reported by AFP news agency. In their announcement, they decried what they perceived as the “irresponsible, unpredictable governance” of President Ali Bongo, emphasizing that his 14-year rule had led to a “deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos.”
Following this audacious proclamation, journalists from AFP reported hearing gunfire in Gabon’s capital, Libreville. The situation on the ground remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether clashes are currently underway.
The recent presidential election, according to the Gabonese Elections Centre, saw Bongo emerge victorious with just over 64% of the vote. He secured a significant lead over his closest rival, Albert Ondo Ossa, in a single-round ballot. It’s noteworthy that this isn’t the first time Gabon has witnessed political upheaval, as there was a military coup attempt in 2019, resulting in armed military officers taking hostages and announcing the formation of a “National Restoration Council” aimed at restoring democracy. The coup was swiftly quelled, with minimal casualties.
Gabon, a Central African nation with a population of 2.3 million, shares borders with Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. It was a former French colony that gained its independence in 1960.
This incident in Gabon unfolds against a backdrop of political instability in other former French colonies in Africa, such as Niger, where a military coup took place in late July. The situation in Niger remains tense, with the regional ECOWAS bloc considering a Paris-backed intervention to reinstate the deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum. Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which have experienced military takeovers in recent years, have pledged to defend Niger’s new government against external forces.
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