Military officials in Gabon declare end of current regime

On Wednesday, military officials announced the "end of the current regime" in Gabon shortly after the official announcement of the results of the presidential elections held on Saturday, which confirmed President Ali Bongo's third term victory. 

Following the official announcement of Bongo's victory with 64.27 percent of the votes late Tuesday into Wednesday, a group of around 12 military personnel appeared on the screen of "Gabon 24" station from the presidential palace. 

One of the military personnel, a colonel in the army, stated in a broadcast on the first Gabonese news channel, after that, "We, the defense and security forces united within the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions, have decided on behalf of the Gabonese people to defend peace by ending the current regime." 

He further explained, "For this purpose, the general elections that took place on August 26, 2023, were canceled, along with their results." 

Among these military personnel are elements from the Republican Guard responsible for presidential protection, as well as soldiers from the army and police officers. The four senior officers consist of two from the Republican Guard and two from the army. 

The fate of Ali Bongo, who has ruled his family's oil-rich central African state for over 55 years, is still unknown, but his neighborhood was reportedly calm on Wednesday morning, according to witnesses. 

This development occurred as the country experienced curfews and internet shutdowns in all areas, as part of measures taken by the government on Saturday prior to closing polling stations, to prevent the spread of "false news" and possible "acts of violence." 

Internet service was restored around 07:00 AM GMT, according to a journalist from Agence France-Presse. 

Shortly after the military statement was read, journalists from Agence France-Presse heard gunfire from automatic weapons in several neighborhoods of Libreville. 

However, these sporadic shots ceased shortly thereafter. 

The military officials believed that the organization of the elections "did not respect the conditions of a transparent and credible vote that includes everyone, as the Gabonese people had hoped." They condemned the "irresponsible governance characterized by a continuous deterioration of social unity, which could push the country into chaos." 

The statement added, "All institutions have dissolved – the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court. We call on citizens to remain calm and we reaffirm our commitment to upholding Gabon's obligations to the international community," confirming the closure of the country's borders "until further notice." They stated, "We have decided to defend peace by ending the current regime." 

AFP