“Elected Unanimously”
Putschists in Gabon make general interim president
8/30/2023 9:52 p.m
That happened quickly: in the morning there will be a coup and in the evening the interim president will be chosen. His name: Brice Oligui Nguema. He should lead the transition. Where it will lead to and how long it will last is not said. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office is warning German citizens.
According to the putschists, General Brice Oligui Nguema was appointed interim president after the military coup in Gabon. Oligui was “unanimously appointed president of the Committee for Transition and Institution Restoration, interim president,” an officer said in a statement read on Gabon 24 TV channel in the presence of dozens of senior officers. How long the transitional period of the military in power should last was initially not announced. Oligui is the chief of the Republican Guard.
A military coup against long-time President Ali Bongo Ondimba took place in the Central African country on Wednesday morning. An army officer, flanked by several men in uniform, had announced on Gabon 24 that last weekend’s controversial presidential and parliamentary elections would be annulled, the “regime” deposed and “all institutions of the republic” dissolved.
Immediately before the televised speech, the national elections authority had declared Bongo the winner of Saturday’s elections. The 64-year-old received 64.27 percent of the votes and was thus able to secure a third term in office. Bongo’s family has ruled oil-rich Gabon for more than 55 years. Bongo himself has been in power for 14 years.
Federal crisis management team meets
In a press release, the Federal Foreign Office said it was concerned about the events in Gabon. The situation is developing in close coordination with our partners. “The federal government’s crisis team met today at the Federal Foreign Office,” it said. German nationals should follow the travel and security advice of the Federal Foreign Office.
“Even if there is justified criticism of the transparency and legality of the recent elections, it is not up to the military to intervene in the political process with violence. The Gabonese people must be able to make free and self-determined decisions about their future,” the warns.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the attempted coup. The head of the United Nations follows developments in the Central African country very closely and takes note of the reports of serious violations of fundamental freedoms with great concern, the UN said. All actors involved must exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law and human rights.
When asked whether parts of Africa were being neglected and there were therefore more attempts to overthrow the Sahel, Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: “If you look at the Sahel – whether there is less, not enough commitment and investment on the part of the international fellowship have taken place – I think the answer is probably yes.”