Gabon: New Constitution Paves Way for Junta Head’s Electoral Candidacy

According to military authorities, a significant majority of Gabon’s population has endorsed a new constitution, signaling a new chapter for the nation in the aftermath of last year’s coup. The nation’s electoral body reported that provisional results indicated 92% of voters supported the new constitution. While this result paves the way for a shift to civilian governance, detractors contend that its purpose is to enable coup leader Brice Oligui Nguema to retain his position. Nguema has not yet publicly declared his intention to participate in the upcoming election. The Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) estimated voter participation at 54%. No significant incidents were reported during the voting process on Saturday. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to release the definitive results. Upon casting his ballot, the military leader praised the referendum as a “great step forward”, further stating that Gabonese citizens were “coming to vote in a transparent fashion”. Before the referendum, the transitional government characterized it as an essential move towards re-establishing constitutional governance in the petroleum-rich nation. This referendum facilitates the organization of elections, provisionally set for August of the following year, marking two years since Nguema assumed power by overthrowing President Ali Bongo Odimba, whose lineage had governed the nation for many decades. The proposed constitution institutes a seven-year presidential term, eligible for one renewal, superseding a five-year term that lacked restrictions and permitted dynastic succession. Furthermore, it prohibits presidential family members from seeking the nation’s highest office and mandates that candidates must be solely Gabonese citizens with a Gabonese spouse. This provision effectively disqualifies the ousted leader, who is wedded to a French national. The measure is perceived as an effort to terminate the pattern of family succession established by the Bongo family, which sustained a 55-year dynasty. Bongo had governed for 14 years prior to his overthrow. His assumption of office followed the demise of his father, who had served as president for 41 years. The new legislation eliminates the role of prime minister and establishes two vice-presidential positions. Although some have praised the proposed legislation, others have cautioned that it might unduly centralize authority within the presidency. Despite Gabon’s considerable oil resources and extensive forests, the UN reports that one-third of its 2.4 million inhabitants live beneath the poverty threshold.