In Gabon, a republic in central Africa, army soldiers claim to have taken over on Wednesday, put President Ali Bongo Ondimba under house arrest, and named a new leader.
President of the transitional committee was chosen to be General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, commander of the Republican Guard.
The cousin of Bongo is Oligui. Prior to becoming charge of the guard, he was the head of the secret service and a bodyguard for Bongo’s late father, President Omar Bongo.
Moments after the country’s election authority confirmed that Bongo had won a third term in Saturday’s general elections, the mutinous soldiers announced the coup on national television.
The officers declared that the election results were illegal, that all state institutions had been dissolved, and that all borders had been closed indefinitely.
One of the officers declared, “We have chosen to safeguard the peace by overthrowing the current government.
People celebrate in the streets.
Who attempted the coup was first unclear. On official television, a man in fatigues was seen being dragged by troops while yelling, “Oligui president,” a reference to Brice Oligui Nguema, the commander of the Republican Guard of Gabon.
Later, Bongo made an appearance on video, pleading with his “friends of Gabon” to “make some noise” in support of him. The 64-year-old president announced that he was at home while his wife and son were somewhere else. He was sat on a chair.
On August 30, 2023, Libreville, Gabon, witnessed supporters of the coup applauding police officers.
Nevertheless, the large crowds who poured into the streets of Libreville, the country’s capital, rejoiced at the news of the president’s ouster, with several protesters expressing their relief that the Bongo family was no longer in charge.
The family, according to critics, has not distributed the income from mining and oil to the nation’s 2.3 million residents.
One of France’s closest allies in Africa is the former French colony of Gabon.
According to Olivier Veran, a spokesman for the French government, “France condemns the military coup that is taking place in Gabon and is closely monitoring developments.” Veran reaffirmed France’s commitment to fair and open elections, as did officials from the UK and Canada. There are roughly 400 French soldiers in Gabon.
Nine members of the Bongo family are reportedly under investigation in France, and some of them are facing preliminary corruption accusations, claims a French accountability group. The family is said to be connected to more than $92 million worth of assets in France, including two villas in Nice, claims the organisation.
curfew and limited internet access
After the officers’ initial televised appearance, gunfire could be heard all across Libreville. Americans in the capital have been urged by the U.S. Embassy to stay put and avoid unnecessary movements.
Libreville’s port has shut down, and there have been cancellations of flights out of the city.
Lack of foreign observers cast a shadow on Saturday’s elections, raising questions about transparency.
Following that, Bongo’s government allegedly took action to stop the dissemination of false information by restricting internet access and enforcing a nightly curfew over the entire country.
Following the news of the coup, internet connection appeared to be at least partially restored.
The stated coup follows a succession of coups that have occurred across West and Central Africa since 2020, the most recent of which was the military removal of President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger last month. In January 2019, while Bongo was recuperating from a stroke, an attempted military takeover was thwarted.
Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and The Associated Press all contributed information to this article.
