Military takes over in Gabon
The end to the wave of coup de’tat and military take over of government in African countries, especially former French colonies, is yet to end as the Army have taken over power in Gabon, a Central African country.
Gabon adds to Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger all former French colonies which have recently fallen under military control.
Army officers have In Gabon this morning, 12 army officers appeared on national television to say they have taken power, the BBC reported.
They said they were annulling the results of Saturday’s election, in which President Ali Bongo was declared the winner.
The electoral commission said Bongo had won just under two-thirds of the votes in an election the opposition argued was fraudulent.
His overthrow would end his family’s 53-year hold on power in Gabon.
In a press release, the military stated:
“Our beautiful country Gabon has always been a haven of peace. This country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis. it must also be admitted that the organization of the electoral deadlines known as the general elections of August 26, 2023 did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so hoped for by Gabonese men and women. Added to this is an irreproachable, unpredictable governance which results in a continuous deterioration of social cohesion risking to lead the country to chaos.
“Today, August 30, 2023, we defense and security forces gathered within the Committee for the Transition and the Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), on behalf of the Gabonese people and guarantors of the protection of institutions have decided to defend peace in putting an end to the regime in place. To this end, the general elections of August 26, 2023 as well as the truncated results are cancelled.
“Borders are closed until further notice. All the institutions of the Republic are dissolved. In particular the Government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, the economic, social and environmental council, the Gabonese Council for Elections. We call on the population, the communities of sister countries settled in Gabon as well as the Gabonese of the diaspora for calm and serenity. We reaffirm our attachment to the respect of Gabon’s commitments vis-à-vis the national and international community
Gabonese people it is finally our flight towards happiness.
“May God and the ghosts of our ancestors bless Gabon.
Thank you”
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said her country was following the situation closely, while the European Union’s foreign policy chief said a military takeover would increase instability in Africa.
“This is a big issue for Europe,” said Josep Borrell.
French mining group Eramet, which employs thousands of people in Gabon, said it had stopped all work in the country for security reasons.
France is fast losing control of her former colonies in Africa through military takeover. The military governments are forging alliance with such other countries as Russia and North Korea. Analysts on the matter believe that this development may not unconnected with Russia’s deliberate strategy to tone down the might of Europe, which make up Russia’s sworn enemy, NATO.
