The officers announced the end of the existing regime and the dissolution of institutions
Gabon
Celebrations in the capital.. and the putschists: “President Ali Bongo is under house arrest, surrounded by his family and doctors.”
Al Arabiya.net, agencies
Posted on: August 30, 2023: 01:47 PM GST Last updated: August 30, 2023: 02:07 PM GST
A number of senior officers in the Gabonese army announced their seizure of power during their appearance on state television, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, where they announced the cancellation of the elections, the dissolution of institutions and the closure of borders until further notice, amid hearing gunfire from automatic weapons in Libreville, the capital, while the putschists announced President Ali Bongo is “under house arrest”, surrounded by his family and doctors, while one of his sons was arrested on charges of “high treason”, and a number of ministers were also arrested, according to what the military who carried out the coup announced in the morning.
“President Ali Bongo is under house arrest, and he is surrounded by his family and doctors,” said a statement read by soldiers from the Transitional Phase and Restoration Committee on state television.
And this morning, the military announced that they are speaking on behalf of the “Committee for the Transitional Phase and Restoration of Institutions,” stressing that they represent all the security and defense forces in the country, and that “due to irresponsible governance represented by a continuous deterioration of social cohesion, which may push the country into chaos (..) we decided Defend peace by ending the existing order,” as hundreds of people celebrated in the streets of Gabon’s capital after the government’s overthrow was announced.
There has been no comment so far from the government of the member state of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries “OPEC”. The last time President Bongo appeared in public was when he cast his vote in the elections last Saturday.
Ali Bongo, who has ruled Gabon for 14 years, was re-elected as president of the country for a third term, with 64.27% of the vote, according to what the National Authority in charge of elections announced earlier today.
President Ali Bongo casting his vote in the elections – Reuters
In an election that took place in one round, Bongo outperformed his main competitor, Albert Ondo Ossa, who won 30.77%, while 12 other candidates won the remaining votes, according to Stephane Bonda, head of the Gabonese Center for Elections, on state television. The participation rate was 56.65%.
Tensions are running high in Gabon amid fears of unrest after the presidential, parliamentary and legislative elections held on Saturday.
Through these elections, Bongo sought to extend his family’s 56-year domination of power while the opposition pushed for change in the oil-rich, yet poor, country in Central Africa.
There were concerns about the transparency of the electoral process in Gabon in the absence of international observers, the cut off of internet service and the imposition of a night-time curfew throughout the country after the elections.
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2023-08-30 09:52:36
