Basic Brice Oligui Nguema, who led a coup final week that toppled Gabon’s 55-year-old ruling dynasty, took the oath of workplace as interim president on Monday, promising “free, clear and credible elections” to revive civilian rule however with out giving a timeframe.
He additionally vowed to amnesty political prisoners, in a speech by which he insisted the coup had saved Gabon from bloodshed after elections that had been “clearly loaded.”
Oligui, head of the elite Republican Guard, final Wednesday led officers to detain President Ali Bongo Ondimba, scion of a household that had dominated the oil-rich central African nation since 1967.
The ousting got here simply moments after Bongo, 64, was proclaimed victor in presidential elections — a outcome branded a fraud by the opposition.
In a speech after taking the oath of workplace, Oligui mentioned the promised elections can be the stepping stone to “handing energy again to the civilians,” though he didn’t specify any date.
He mentioned he was in search of the participation of all of Gabon’s “core teams” to draft a brand new structure, which “will likely be adopted by referendum.”
Oligui, 48, sporting the crimson ceremonial uniform of the Republican Guard, additionally mentioned a brand new authorities can be named “in a couple of days” comprising “skilled” and “seasoned” folks.
He mentioned he would instruct the longer term authorities “to contemplate methods of amnestying prisoners of conscience” and “facilitating the return of all exiles” from overseas.
– ‘Stunned’ by condemnation –
After detaining Bongo, the coup leaders on Wednesday mentioned that they had dissolved the nation’s establishments, cancelled the election outcomes and quickly closed the borders.
“We really feel the liberty, pleasure and above all of the hope of a greater future,” mentioned Lucrece Mengue, 28, who was amongst 1000’s of individuals gathered outdoors the presidential palace.
Oligui in his speech strongly defended the coup, saying the navy had acted to avoid wasting lives following “an electoral course of that was clearly loaded.”
“With out violence, clashes or lack of blood, the Committee for Transition and Restoration of Establishments modified the regime which for years had usurped the powers of the establishments of the general public, flouting democratic guidelines,” he mentioned, referring to the title given to the junta.
Quoting South African anti-apartheid hero Desmond Tutu, he mentioned: “In case you are impartial in conditions of injustice, you’ve got chosen the facet of the oppressor.”
He hit out at “worldwide organisations,” which he didn’t title, for criticising the navy takeover.
Gabon joins Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger within the ranks of African international locations which have undergone coups within the final three years — a development that has sounded alarm bells in Africa and past.
“We’re drastically shocked to listen to sure worldwide organisations condemn the act taken by troopers who had been merely upholding their oath to the flag — to avoid wasting their nation on the threat of their lives,” mentioned Oligui.
A number of Western international locations and organisations have attacked the takeover, whereas acknowledging that it’s completely different to others on the continent resulting from considerations over the credibility of the vote itself.
– ‘Make noise’ –
Oligui, who for years labored within the wings beneath Bongo and his father Omar, has held high-profile discussions with enterprise and non secular leaders, unions, political events, NGOs, diplomats and journalists.
He sternly warned enterprise chiefs that corruption would now not be tolerated and unveiled plans to reform Gabon’s dysfunctional pension system, a bugbear for many individuals.
A fringe of the previous opposition has urged Oligui at hand over energy however many Gabonese appear blissful concerning the overthrow of the Bongo dynasty, with celebrations within the streets of the capital Libreville and the financial hub of Port-Gentil.
Bongo had been in search of his third time period in workplace after coming to energy in 2009 following the dying of Omar Bongo, who dominated for greater than 4 a long time, gaining the popularity as a kleptocrat.
Nationwide TV on Friday confirmed rolling photographs of the deposed president’s son Noureddin Bongo Valentin and different arrested officers in entrance of suitcases full of money allegedly seized from their houses.
The navy has accused them of treason, embezzlement, corruption and falsifying the president’s signature, amongst different allegations.
“We research however we do not discover work. I have been unemployed for 5 years,” midwife Anouchka Minang, 31, mentioned.
“They inform us the coffers are empty and we find yourself discovering all this cash with them,” she grumbled.
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