Africa ( Commonwealth Union) _ President Ali Bongo of Gabon, who was overthrown in a coup by the army and placed under house arrest, has issued an appeal for assistance. He called on his followers to “raise your voice” while addressing a crowd from his claimed home.
The coup was initially announced by army officers on television. They declared that they were invalidating the results of the recent election in which Mr. Bongo was declared the winner, citing allegations of rigging by the opposition. Furthermore, they claimed to have detained one of Mr. Bongo’s sons on charges of treason.
Subsequently, it was reported that Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema, the chief of the presidential guard, would succeed Mr. Bongo. Gen. Nguema was celebrated in the streets of Libreville as the presumed new leader. The coup leaders also announced that the people of Gabon would be allowed to resume their daily activities between 6 am and 6 pm starting from Thursday, although traffic restrictions would still be in place.
The ousting of Mr. Bongo marks the end of his family’s 55-year rule in Gabon. Despite approximately 90% of the country being covered in forests, Gabon is one of Africa’s leading oil producers. It is worth noting that Gabon joined the Commonwealth in June 2022, becoming one of the few member countries that had never been a British colony.
President Bongo confirmed his house arrest and expressed concern for the whereabouts of his wife and son. He reiterated his plea for assistance, stating, “I don’t know what’s going on.” The BBC attempted to verify the authenticity of the video through a communications firm that supported the presidency during the election, which claimed that the video distribution request came from Mr. Bongo’s office.
The coup leaders announced on television that they would dissolve all republican institutions and nullify the election results. They also stated that the country’s borders had been sealed until further notice. This coup follows the announcement by Gabon’s electoral commission that Mr. Bongo had won just under two-thirds of the votes in the recent election, a result contested by the opposition.
The coup leaders cited concerns about irresponsible and unpredictable governance, which had led to a deterioration in social cohesion, potentially pushing the country into chaos, as their rationale for ending the current regime.
Over the last three years, there have been eight coups in former French colonies in Africa. Most of these coups have occurred further north in the Sahel region, where an Islamist insurgency has raised concerns about the ability of democratically elected governments to protect their civilian populations.
