A military coup is under way in Gabon, following the presidential election that was criticised as illegitimate.
Voting took place on August 26. The electoral commission reported President Ali Bongo had won 64.27% of the vote – although opposition figures disputed this.
Soldiers appeared on television this morning broadcasting that they were “putting an end to the regime”. The Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), as they call themselves, said the general elections had not met the required standards.
The whereabouts of President Bongo are not clear. There are unconfirmed reports he is under house arrest.
Street celebrations appear to have broken out in Libreville after some military officers in #Gabon announced they had deposed President Ali Bongo Ondimba and taken over pic.twitter.com/UE3PvQzRzB
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) August 30, 2023
The vote was not “transparent, credible and inclusive”, they said. The government has acted irresponsibly and unpredictably. It undermined social cohesion and “risked leading the country into chaos”.
The CTRI has cancelled the election results and closed the borders until further notice. The soldiers called for calm, from the Gabonese citizens and from Gabon’s neighbours.
It has also dissolved the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) and the electoral commission.
Minister of Forests, Oceans, Environment and Climate Change Lee White commented yesterday that he had returned to Libreville. The government had cut the internet, Lee said, in response to “some provocative statements by opposition politicians”.
This morning, following the coup, the authorities partially restored the internet connection.
Uncertainty
Gabon produces around 210,000 barrels per day of oil.
The impact on companies operating in Gabon was not immediately clear. Reports have suggested France’s Eramet mining company has halted operations.
A TotalEnergies official said the company was “mobilised to ensure the safety of its employees and operations, which is its main priority”. The French company has reduced operations in Gabon over recent years and now produces only 17,000 bpd, as of 2022.
The French embassy has advised people to “stay at home, keep informed of the situation and respect the security instructions given by the embassy”.
Bongo had ruled since 2009, inheriting the position from his father. Omar Bongo took power in 1967.
Some local reports have named Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi of involvement in the CTRI.
There has been a suggestion that General Oligui Nguema, the head of the Republican Guard, is involved.
Bongo has faced a coup before. In 2019, when he was recovering from a stroke, the military launched an attempt to topple him. The president was said to have been working to secure the transition of the presidency to his son, which increased the chances for a power struggle.
