The leader of the Gabonese coup junta is sworn in as president of the transition

The general Brice Oligui Nguemaleader of the military junta that directs Gabon Since the coup last Wednesday, he was sworn in on Monday as “president of the transition.”

READ ALSO: Seven coups d’état in three years: How do you explain the instability that Africa has been suffering?

In a solemn ceremony held in the Presidential palace of the Renovation in Libreville, Nguema was sworn in before the Constitutional Court.

“I swear before God and before the Gabonese people to faithfully preserve the republican regime”, affirmed the coup leader, dressed in a red dress uniform, who promised “respect and enforce the Transition Charter and the law”.

He also undertook to fulfill his duties within “the superior integrity of the people” already “to preserve the achievements of democracy, the independence of the homeland and the integrity of the National territory”.

Nguema also promised “free and transparent elections” after the transition period, but did not give any schedule for calling those elections.

In addition, the general promised an amnesty for “prisoners of conscience”.

The general was sworn in after the military seized power on August 30 after the country’s electoral commission announced the victory of the now ousted Gabonese president, ali bongoin the controversial elections of the 26th of the same month, which the opposition accused of fraudulentthey did not have the presence of international observers and during which the internet was cut off.

The military then assured that the elections were not transparent, credible or inclusive, and accused the Executive to govern “irresponsibly and unpredictably”thus deteriorating thesocial cohesion”.

In addition, the coup leaders placed Bongo drumwhose Nguema He is a cousin, under house arrest for “high treason against State institutions” and “mass embezzlement of public funds”, among other crimes.

Despite the condemnation of the coup by the african unionthe United Nations and the European Unionamong others, Nguemacommander of the Republican Guard – an elite unit of the Armed forces of the country – was sworn in today and is entrenched in power.

The strong man of Committee for Transition and Restoration of the Institutions (CTRI), as the military junta calls itself, already promised this Saturday that the military will meet with the political parties to create “strong institutions” and activate democratic reforms, before calling elections “free”.

Bongo’s family – who became president after his father’s death, Omar Bongoin Spain in 2009 – has been in power since 1967.

He coup in Gabonone of the oil powers of Africa sub-Saharan region, is the second to occur in just over a month in Africaafter the Army seized power in Niger last July 26.

Gabon thus joined the list of countries that have had successful coups in the last three years and in which, in addition to Nigerare mali (August 2020 and May 2021), Guinea-Conakry (September 2021), Sudan (October 2021) and Burkina Faso (January and September 2022).

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.