Gabo (Agencies): A fresh coup has emerged on the African stage, this time in Gabon, as mutinous soldiers have taken control of the country. Reports from Libreville, the capital, confirm that the elite Republican guard’s chief, Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, has been unanimously designated as the head of a transitional committee to lead the nation.
The development comes shortly after soldiers declared the president under house arrest. The rebel soldiers, in an announcement broadcast on Gabon’s state TV, communicated their decision to entrust Gen. Oligui with the leadership of the transitional committee.
The decision effectively replaces President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had recently secured re-election, extending his family’s longstanding rule.
President Ondimba, whose family has maintained a 55-year rule in Gabon, had been declared the victor in the nation’s presidential election earlier on the same day. His victory stirred mixed emotions in the country, with ongoing grievances against his family’s accumulation of wealth from the nation’s oil resources, contrasting with the struggles of ordinary citizens.
The atmosphere in the capital city was far from somber as people took to the streets, celebrating the coup as a potential shift from the longstanding dynasty. In the midst of the jubilations, there was confirmation of a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time, though daytime movement was permitted. As the country navigates these uncharted waters, Lt. Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi assured citizens via state TV that the transition’s goal was to maintain calm, serenity, and dignity of Gabon.
While analysts speculate about the coup’s motives and consequences, the coup follows a pattern of recent military takeovers across West and Central Africa. Gabon’s oil wealth, largely concentrated in a few hands, has exacerbated disparities within the country.
The discontent over mismanagement and corruption has simmered for years, contributing to the present unrest. The new leadership, along with the country’s citizenry, will need to chart a course that addresses these pressing issues while upholding the nation’s stability and prospects for democratic governance.