Gabon general to be sworn in as president, African Union suspends membership

The general, who has overthrown the 55-year Bongo dynasty of Gabon, will be sworn in as transitional president on Monday (September 4), said the army as the opposition appealed for recognition of its candidate as the winner of weekend elections.

The military reassured donors that they would "respect all commitments" at home and abroad and "phase in" transitional institutions, said Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, spokesperson for the new regime, on state television.

General Brice Oligui Nguema's swearing-in ceremony will take place at the constitutional court, the spokesman stated, giving the first indication of how operations will be carried out by the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) following Wednesday's putsch.

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African Union suspends membership of Gabon

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African Union suspended the membership of Gabon on Thursday (August 31), one day after President Ali Bongo was ousted by military officers.

The African Union's Peace and Security Councilhad earlier strongly condemned the coup and stated that they have decided to "immediately suspend" Gabon until the constitutional order is restored in the country.

Taking to X, the African Union said that it “strongly condemns the military takeover of power in the Republic of Gabon, which ousted President Ali Bongo on 30 August 2023”. It “decides to immediately suspend the participation of Gabon in all activities of the AU, its organs and institutions until the restoration of constitutional order in the country,” read the post.

With this step, Gabon, which is already not a part of the influential bloc of West African nations ECOWAS, has also lost the economic cushion of the African Union.

Head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, had earlier appealed to the Gabonese army and security forces “to guarantee the physical integrity” of Bongo, who was placed under house arrest.

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Opposition Alternance 2023 alliance of Gabon has remained silent since the coup.However, on Thursday (August 31), it appealed to the military leaders to recognise its victory in the election. The alliance "invited the defence and security forces to the discussion so as to work out... the best solution," after the vote.

Alternance, which is led by university professor Albert Ondo Ossa, had earlier accused President Ali Bongo Ondimba of "fraud" and asked him to hand over power "without bloodshed".

Ondo Ossa on Thursday stated that the Bongo clan has been in control and that there has not been a coup in the country but a "palace revolution". "Oligui Nguema is Ali Bongo's cousin," he said while speaking to France's TV5 Monde.

"The Bongos found that Ali Bongo had to be put aside to be able to properly pursue the Bongo system. Oligui Nguema is an underling. Behind him, it's the Bongo clan keeping hold of power," he stated, appealing for international help to restore order.

(With inputs from agencies)

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