Mutinous soldiers have asserted that they successfully taken control of Gabon on Wednesday, placing the president under house arrest. This move comes just hours after he was declared the victor in an election that extended his family's dominion over the oil-rich nation in Central Africa for 55 years.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba emerged publicly for the first time since the attempted coup, urging the populace to rally behind him with vocal support. However, instead of heeding his call, crowds flooded the streets of the capital, raising their voices in song to the national anthem. This reaction appeared to be a celebratory response to the potential end of his rule.
The Bongo family has faced accusations of amassing wealth from the country's abundant resources while a significant portion of the population struggles to make ends meet. The coup effort materialized shortly after his victory in an election that drew criticism from international observers.
Scarcely moments after the election declaration, the sound of gunfire reverberated through the heart of Libreville, the capital city. Subsequently, a group of twelve uniformed soldiers appeared on state television, announcing their successful seizure of power.
The city's streets swelled with revelers marking the termination of Bongo's lengthy reign, as they harmoniously sang the national anthem alongside the soldiers.
Yollande Okomo, positioned in front of soldiers from Gabon's esteemed republican guard, expressed her gratitude, exclaiming, "Thank you, army. Finally, we've been waiting a long time for this moment."
Viviane Mbou, a shopkeeper, extended an offer of juice to the soldiers, which they politely declined.
"Long live our army," cheered Jordy Dikaba, a young man strolling alongside his friends amidst a street lined with armored policemen.
Later on, Bongo made a plea for support, appearing in a video seated in a chair against the backdrop of a bookshelf. He conveyed his current location as his residence, and noted that his wife and son were in separate places.
"I'm urging you to raise your voices, make noise, make noise, make noise, truly," he exclaimed. The video was shared with The Associated Press by BTP Advisers, a communication firm that provided polling assistance to the president for this election.
Widespread dissatisfaction with the Bongo family has persisted for years, making a coup attempt unsurprising, stated Maja Bovcon Africa, a senior analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, a risk assessment firm. Yet, she added that more immediate inspiration likely stemmed from a recent series of coups in the Sahel, where military officials demonstrated the ability to seize power without facing consequences.
The coup leaders in Gabon could also exploit doubts surrounding the electoral process, suggested the analyst Africa. She noted that the vote lacked transparency and was essentially conducted behind closed doors.
Since Gabon's reversion to a multi-party system in 1990, every election has concluded with violence. After the 2016 election, clashes between government forces and protesters resulted in four official deaths. However, the opposition claimed that the death toll was considerably higher.
"Gabon’s electoral laws and framework do not ensure credible elections," asserted Freedom House in its 2023 country assessment.
The soldiers who laid claim to power on Wednesday announced their intention to "dissolve all institutions of the republic," according to a group spokesperson. The spokesperson cited Bongo's "unpredictable, irresponsible governance" as a risk that could plunge the country into chaos.
Despite being an OPEC oil cartel member with a daily crude production of around 181,000 barrels, Gabon grapples with high unemployment and escalating prices among its population of over 2 million. In 2020, nearly 40% of Gabonese aged 15-24 were unemployed, as per the World Bank.
Numerous French companies declared suspension of operations and took steps to ensure their staff's safety. An individual answering the phone at the airport confirmed flight cancellations for Wednesday. Private intelligence firm Ambrey reported a halt in all operations at Libreville's main port, with authorities denying permission for vessels to depart.
A subsequent statement from the coup leaders, representing the gendarme, republican guard, and other security forces, disclosed that the president was confined to his residence under house arrest, accompanied by family members and doctors. The military detailed that individuals around him had been arrested on charges including "high betrayal of state institutions, massive embezzlement of public funds, (and) international financial embezzlement," among others.
No communication has been received from the president.
Several members of the Bongo family are currently under investigation in France, with some facing preliminary charges of embezzlement, money laundering, and other forms of corruption, according to reports from French media.
The coup attempt occurred approximately a month after mutinous soldiers in Niger seized power from the democratically elected government. This event represents the latest in a series of coups that have challenged governments linked to France, the former colonizer of the region. If successful, Gabon's coup would mark the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020.
In contrast to Niger and two other West African nations under military juntas, Gabon has not experienced significant jihadist violence and has been considered relatively stable.
During his annual Independence Day speech on August 17, President Bongo stated, "While our continent has been shaken in recent weeks by violent crises, rest assured that I will never allow you and our country Gabon to be hostages to attempts at destabilization. Never."
Amid growing anti-France sentiment in many former colonies, Bongo, who was educated in France, met with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in late June, sharing photographs of their handshake.
The mutinous officers pledged to uphold "Gabon's commitments to the national and international community."
France maintains 400 soldiers in Gabon, leading a regional military training operation. According to the French military, their routine operations have not changed today.
Olivier Veran, the spokesperson for the French government, remarked on Wednesday, "France condemns the ongoing military coup in Gabon and closely follows developments in the country. France reaffirms its hope that the outcome of the election, once determined, will be respected."
Regarding Gabon, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, mentioned that the matter would be discussed by EU ministers this week. The defense ministers of the 27-nation bloc convened in Spain on Wednesday, followed by foreign ministers on Thursday. Borrell chairs both meetings, with Niger also being a topic of focus.
Borrell noted, "If this is confirmed, it’s another military coup, which increases instability in the whole region."
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, stated on Wednesday that China is closely monitoring the situation in Gabon and urged all parties to peacefully resolve the issue while considering the interests of the nation and its people.
Bongo assumed power in 2009 following the death of his father, who ruled the country for 41 years. He has served two terms. In January 2019, another group of mutinous soldiers attempted a coup while Bongo was in Morocco recovering from a stroke, but the attempt was swiftly quelled.
Bongo faced an opposition coalition led by economics professor and former education minister Albert Ondo Ossa in the recent election. Ossa's unexpected nomination occurred a week prior to the vote.
When contacted on Wednesday, Ossa stated that he wasn't prepared to comment on the attempted coup and was waiting for the situation to develop.
Following the election, the Communications Minister of the Central African nation, Rodrigue Mboumba Bissawou, announced a nightly curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. He also mentioned that internet access was indefinitely restricted to counter disinformation and calls for violence.
NetBlocks, an organization that monitors global internet access, reported a "partial restoration" of internet service in Gabon after the coup.
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