Coup in Gabon: Overthrow of President Bongo

Last update: 10:50

A group of about a dozen military and security officers in Gabon announced early today that they are seizing power in the African country, canceling the elections and “motivating all the institutions of the republic,” after they decided to “put an end to this regime.” In reference to the Bongo family’s 56-year rule in Gabon.

Freedom in #Gabon pic.twitter.com/Q5Zc7qe4M2

– African (@food_me) August 30, 2023

Gabon is the sixth country in Africa to experience a military coup, and the eighth in a row since 2020 – followed by Mali (twice), Burkina Faso (also), Guinea, Chad and, just last month, Niger.

Governance audit notice

The group appeared in the early hours of this morning in front of the cameras of state television, stationed next to the presidential building, and one of the members read a statement calling for “irresponsible” and “unpredictable” governance, leading to a “continuous deterioration in social conditions.” He added, “In the name of the Gabonese people, we decided to defend peace by ending this regime.”

There is another military coup in Gabon. What exactly is happening in African countries?

pic.twitter.com/oZg0FcYOqW

– Basito (@itzbasito) August 30, 2023

The group of officers, which calls itself the “Transition and Institutional Restoration Committee,” confirmed that it represents all arms of the armed forces and all security forces.

The August 26 elections and their results are “invalid.”

“All democratic institutions, the government, the Senate, the Parliament and the Constitutional Court, are stimulated. We call on the population to remain calm (…) and affirm that we are committed to respecting Gabon’s obligations to the international community.” “, according to the coup plotters who also announced that they would close the borders “until further notice.”

The officers include members of the Presidential Guard, the regular army and the police.

Shooting in the capital

Journalists from Agence France-Presse and Reuters news agency reported that while the army was speaking, heavy gunfire was heard in the capital, Libreville.

#Gabon
The joy of freedom 😅.
Gabonese in the streets showing love and support for our armed forces. pic.twitter.com/Bigah9LXoK

– Elvine Belinda (she/her) (@ElvineBelinda) August 30, 2023

On the other hand, people took to the streets and were seen celebrating in videos.

#Gabon
The joy of freedom 😅.
Gabonese in the streets showing love and support for our armed forces. pic.twitter.com/Bigah9LXoK

– Elle Vet Bel (her/her) (@ElvineBelinda) August 30, 2023

Nikki Bongo

The military coup was announced shortly after the Electoral Commission announced that President Ali Bongo, who has been in power for 14 years, had won a third consecutive term in the elections by obtaining 64.27% of the votes and defeating his rival, Albert Audo Osa, who obtained 30.77%. %.

Bongo was a candidate for the Gabonese Democratic Party, the party founded by his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon from 1967 to 2009. After his death, his son, who was then defense minister, took his place as president and assumed the presidency of the country. He has been in power ever since.

fraud complaints

Albert Audo Osa denounced “rigging by the Bongo camp” two hours before the polls closed on Saturday, declaring his victory.

On Monday, his team called on Mr Bongo to organize a “bloodless” transfer of power.

The opposition camp said on Saturday that the elections were a “fraud orchestrated by Ali Bongo and his supporters” after internet access was cut off and a curfew was imposed. French media outlets France 24, RFI and TV5 Monde were also banned from broadcasting the news, accused of a “lack of objectivity and balance… with regard to the current general elections,” the government said.

The lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities’ decision to cut off internet service and impose a night-time curfew across the country after the vote, raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.

The Al Jazeera correspondent said, “We also know that the Internet is still down. It was down over the weekend and there was a curfew.” “So people are very afraid.” “It is very difficult for people in Gabon to access the information they need to know what is going on,” he added.