Gabon military announces coup, after president Ali Bongo’s reelection

Amidst heightened tensions following the re-election of President Ali Bongo to a third term, Gabon was plunged into uncertainty as army officers took to national television to declare a seizure of power.

The military officers cited concerns over the recent election results and perceived governance issues as their motivation for annulling the election outcome.

Twelve soldiers appeared on Gabonese television to convey their decision to cancel the election results and dissolve “all the institutions of the republic.”

They emphasized the need to defend peace and stability by ending the current regime, referring to the Bongo administration.

The Gabonese Election Centre (CGE) had declared President Bongo the winner of the election with 64.27% of the votes cast.

However, opposition candidate Albert Ossa accused the election of being fraudulent and filled with irregularities.

Tensions had been escalating in Gabon in the lead-up to and aftermath of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

These events unfolded against a backdrop of public concerns about the country’s social cohesion and the potential for unrest.

President Bongo’s presidency marked the continuation of his family’s decades-long rule, which began after his father Omar’s death in 2009. In 2018, Bongo suffered a stroke that raised questions about his ability to lead.

These concerns were further exacerbated by a coup attempt in 2019, for which the military personnel involved were subsequently imprisoned.

The recent announcement of the army’s seizure of power introduces a new dimension of uncertainty and volatility to Gabon’s political landscape, further disrupting the nation’s political trajectory.