Ali Bongo Has Been Toppled, Military Take Over Gabon

Another coup has happened in Gabon. President Ali Bongo has been toppled by the military in a bloodless coup that happened on Tuesday night. This is the second coup in Africa in one month following the one in Niger that is still generating heat.

Ali Bongo is the son of Former President Omar Bongo who ruled Gabon for 42 years. He took over power after the death of his father. The Bongo family has ruled Gabon for at least 52 years and has been described as the most ruthless and corrupt.

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Ali Bongo was seeking a third term in office. In an election held recently, he rigged himself in and announced himself the winner. The military became infuriated and annulled the whole process, suspending all institutions and taking over power from the “young” Bongo.

The announcement came shortly after the state election body said President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won a third term in office in Saturday’s disputed elections.

“In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said.

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The Gabonese Election Centre said Bongo had secured 64.27 percent of the vote compared with 30.77 percent for his main challenger Albert Ondo Ossa, after a process beset by delays.

Tensions were running high amid fears of unrest after Saturday’s presidential, parliamentary, and legislative vote, which saw Bongo seeking to extend his family’s 56-year grip on power while the opposition pushed for change in the oil and cocoa-rich but poverty-stricken nation.

A lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities’ decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew nationwide after the poll had raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.

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