Military officers in Gabon had on Wednesday, August 30, appeared on national television to announce that they were taking hold of power.
This singular announcement has led to celebrations and several reports of gunshots on the streets of the nation’s capital.
The announcement came minutes after President Ali Bongo Ondimba, aka Ali Bongo, was declared the winner of a contested election, drawing out his family’s half-century rule over the Central African nation.
The military officers who claimed to be representing defence and security forces in the country had made the announcement in a televised address on the national news channel Gabon24.
A military officer was heard to have said in the broadcast:
“On behalf of the Gabonese citizens and guarantor of the protection of institutions, CTRI (the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions), has made the decision to defend peace by ending this current regime.”
The military officer had also stated that the election results was considered voided and that the country’s borders would be closed.
“Additionally, the institutions of the republic are de-established, especially the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, Economic and Social and Environmental Council, and the Elections Council of Gabon.”
“We are calling on the entire populace of Gabon, the communities of the neighboring countries living in Gabon, as well as the Gabonese diaspora, to remain calm and resist panic.”
A Reuters reporter had said that the deafening sounds of gunfire could be heard in the capital Libreville after the television appearance.
Residents in Gabon had also been captured on videos that have since been shared on social media, dancing and celebrating on the streets of its capital.
So far, five nations in western and central Africa have already been seized by military juntas in the short period of three years. All five of these countries are former French colonies. The military coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger Republic have subverted democratic progress in Africa in recent years.
