Gabon’s navy parades new chief via the capital after coup

Aug 31, 2023 at 10:14 AM

abon’s military has paraded its new chief via the streets after staging a coup which ended 55 years of household rule within the central African nation.

On Wednesday, navy leaders lifted newly put in basic Brice Oligui Nguema aloft via the streets of Libreville after former president Ali Bongo Ondimba had been positioned underneath home arrest.

The coup leaders mentioned folks across the president had been arrested for “high betrayal of state institutions, massive embezzlement of public funds and international financial embezzlement”.

A spokesman added that Mr Bongo’s “unpredictable, irresponsible governance” risked main the nation into chaos with 9 members of the previous president’s household at present underneath investigation in France.

At the weekend Mr Bongo had been declared winner of the country’s presidential election with 64 per cent of the vote by the central African country’s election committee.

The opposition, nevertheless, argued the election was fraudulent whereas alleging that Mr Bongo had dedicated years of embezzlement throughout his rule over the African nation which is a member of OPEC, with a manufacturing of some 181,000 barrels of crude oil a day.

“At the dawn of a new era, we will guarantee the peace, stability and dignity of our beloved Gabon,” Lt. Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi mentioned on state TV Wednesday.

After being arrested, the previous president pleaded for help in a video exhibiting him sitting in a chair. “I’m calling you to make noise, to make noise, to make noise really,” he mentioned within the video.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the coup and known as on navy leaders to make sure the protection of Bongo and his household, spokesman Stephane Dujarric mentioned.

“The UK condemns the unconstitutional military takeover of power in Gabon and calls for the restoration of constitutional government,” the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office mentioned on Wednesday.

“We acknowledge concerns raised regarding the recent electoral process, including restrictions on media freedom.”

The coup is the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, and the second – after Niger – in as many months.