Gabonese General Brice Oligui Nguema, who orchestrated the coup that removed President Ali Bongo from power, was inaugurated as the interim leader on Monday (September 4) during a televised ceremony presided over by the country’s constitutional court judges. This development follows the recent takeover of Gabon by the military led by General Oligui, which occurred on August 30.
The coup occurred shortly after the announcement that Bongo had secured a third term in office through an election whose outcome was later invalidated by the military due to doubts about its credibility.
During his speech, General Oligui proposed a series of reforms, including the adoption of a new constitution through a referendum, the implementation of new electoral and penal codes, and measures to prioritize local banks and companies for economic development, as reported by Reuters.
General Oligui pledged to “faithfully preserve the republican regime” and promised to organize “free, transparent, and credible elections” following an unspecified transition period. He also expressed his intention to grant amnesty to “prisoners of conscience.”
General Oligui, who heads the elite Republican Guard, received a standing ovation from an audience consisting of military officers and officials. Notably, several members of Bongo’s government, including the vice president and prime minister, attended the ceremony, while Bongo remained under house arrest. Bongo, who took office in 2009, succeeded his late father, who had been in power since 1967.
Images from the event depicted a jubilant crowd and tanks firing into the sea to mark the occasion. General Oligui, attired in the red ceremonial uniform of the Republican Guard, also vowed to “preserve the achievements of democracy.”
Furthermore, he called for the participation of all “core groups” in the country to collaborate on drafting a new constitution, which will subsequently be put to a referendum.
The coup brought an end to the 56-year reign of the Bongo dynasty in Gabon, an oil-producing nation. While it garnered support from crowds in the capital, Libreville, it also drew condemnation from other nations. This event marked the eighth coup in West and Central African nations within a span of three years.
General Oligui’s inauguration took place as the leaders of the Central African regional bloc ECCAS gathered to discuss their response to Bongo’s removal from power. General Oligui is yet to gain international recognition as Gabon’s legitimate leader and is under pressure to outline his plans for the restoration of civilian rule.
In the wake of the coup, the military dissolved the nation’s institutions, invalidated the election results, and temporarily closed the borders. Gabon’s main opposition group, Alternance 2023, claims to be the rightful winner of the election and has called on the international community to encourage the junta to relinquish power to civilians. Reports suggest that representatives from the opposition alliance met with General Oligui on Sunday (September 3) for discussions, although specific details were not disclosed.
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