General Brice Oligui Nguema, who led a successful coup to overthrow Gabon’s ruling dynasty last week, was sworn in as the interim president on Monday. In his inauguration speech, General Nguema promised to hold “free, transparent and credible elections” in order to restore civilian rule. However, he did not provide a specific timeline for these elections.
Furthermore, General Nguema vowed to grant amnesty to political prisoners, emphasizing that the coup had saved Gabon from potential bloodshed caused by the controversial elections. General Nguema, who is also the head of the elite Republican Guard, orchestrated the detainment of President Ali Bongo Ondimba immediately after he was declared the winner of the presidential elections. The opposition labeled the election results as fraudulent.
During his speech, General Nguema reiterated that the upcoming elections would be a crucial step towards reestablishing civilian rule. He expressed his intention to involve all the important stakeholders in Gabon to draft a new constitution, which will subsequently be adopted through a referendum.
Dressed in the red ceremonial attire of the Republican Guard, General Nguema also announced his plans to instruct the future government to consider the amnesty of prisoners of conscience and facilitate the return of exiles from abroad.
Condemnation and international response
Following Bongo’s detainment, the coup leaders declared the dissolution of Gabon’s institutions, annulled the election results, and temporarily closed the country’s borders. However, General Nguema’s legitimacy as Gabon’s leader has not been recognized by other countries, and he is under pressure to provide a clear roadmap for restoring civilian governance.
In his speech, General Nguema passionately defended the coup, stating that it was necessary to save lives from an electoral process that was profoundly flawed. He cited the words of South African anti-apartheid hero Desmond Tutu: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
General Nguema criticized unidentified international organizations for condemning the military takeover, expressing surprise at their lack of support for soldiers who risked their lives to save their country. While acknowledging the unique circumstances surrounding the coup, some Western countries and organizations have criticized the validity of the electoral process.
Reforms and public sentiment
General Nguema, who had been a key figure in the background during the rule of both Ali Bongo and his father Omar, has engaged in extensive discussions with various stakeholders, including business leaders, religious figures, unions, political parties, NGOs, diplomats, and journalists.
He sternly warned business leaders against corruption, signaling a zero-tolerance approach in the post-Bongo era. Additionally, he outlined plans to reform Gabon’s dysfunctional pension system, addressing a long-standing grievance for many citizens.
While a fringe faction of the former opposition has called for General Nguema to relinquish power, many Gabonese citizens appear to be satisfied with the overthrow of the Bongo dynasty. Celebrations have erupted on the streets of the capital, Libreville, as well as the economic hub of Port-Gentil.
The now-deposed President Ali Bongo, who succeeded his father as Gabon’s leader in 2009, was seeking a third term in office. His father, Omar Bongo, held power for over four decades and was widely regarded as a kleptocrat. Recently, national TV aired images of Noureddin Bongo Valentin, the son of the deposed president, and other arrested officials with suitcases allegedly filled with confiscated cash found in their homes.