A group of senior Gabonese military officers on Wednesday declared that they have taken power, minutes after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo the winner of Saturday’s general election. The soldiers appeared on Gabonese national television Gabon 24, to announce the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic” and closure of all borders until further notice. The group’s members were drawn from the gendarme, the republican guard and other elements of the security forces. They highlighted serious institutional, political, economic and social crises as factors responsible for the coup that they tagged, ‘necessary’ for the progress of the West African country. “In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said in a statement.
The servicemen introduced themselves as members of “The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions”. The state institutions they declared dissolved included the government, the senate, the national assembly, the constitutional court and the election body.
“Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis.
“We are therefore forced to admit that the organisation of the general elections of August 26, 2023, did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon,” they said.
“Added to this is irresponsible and unpredictable governance, resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion, with the risk of leading the country into chaos.
“Today, 30 August 2023, we, the defence and security forces, gathered as the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) on behalf of the people of Gabon and as guarantors of the institutions’ protection — have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime.
“We reaffirm our commitment to respecting Gabon’s commitments to the national and international community.
“People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness.
“May God and the spirits of our ancestors bless Gabon. Honour and loyalty to our homeland.”
Bongo had won his third term as president with 64.27 percent of the vote. According to the results issued prior to the officers' announcement, Bongo's main rival Albert Ondo Ossa won just 30.77 percent of the vote.
If successful, the coup would represent the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020. Coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger have undermined democratic progress in recent years.
