Gabon Prepares for First Presidential Election Sin...

Gabon Prepares for First Presidential Election Since 2023 Coup

President of Gabon, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema

Zim Now Writer

Gabon will head to the polls on Saturday for its first presidential election since a military coup in August 2023 ended the Bongo family's 56-year grip on power. The vote is widely seen as a step toward legitimising the rule of the country’s transitional leader, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.

Nguema, the junta leader who led the military takeover, initially vowed to restore civilian rule. However, he soon declared himself head of a transitional government and last month formally announced his candidacy in the upcoming election.

His main rival is former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie By Nze. Distancing himself from the Bongo legacy, Nze has launched his own political movement, Together for Gabon, hoping to position himself as a credible alternative.

Despite his transitional promises, Nguema is considered the frontrunner, buoyed by his role in ending Ali Bongo’s unpopular rule and by the strong institutional backing he now commands. The national assembly, senate, and constitutional court are largely controlled by his allies, analysts note.

As the campaign unfolds, Nguema has spoken of rebuilding Gabon, promising a country that will "rise from the ashes." His message appeals to many in the oil-rich but underdeveloped nation of 2.5 million people, where the benefits of natural resources have long been monopolized by a small elite surrounding the Bongo family.

Ali Bongo's 2016 re-election was marred by allegations of fraud, including implausible vote counts in his home province of Haut Ogooué, where he reportedly won 95% of the vote. The result sparked violent protests and the burning of parliament. In 2023, as Bongo claimed yet another victory, the military swiftly intervened, calling the vote a sham and seizing control within minutes.

Polling stations are set to open on Saturday, with the outcome expected to shape the country’s political future and test whether a return to democratic rule is truly underway—or merely symbolic.