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GABON: Electoral Frenzy

GABON: Electoral Frenzy The August 30th election goes ahead amid frantic electioneering and despite opposition calls for postponement. PANA reported that the campaign by the 23 candidates who were to contest the August 30th presidential election in Gabon hit a frenzy, as the candidates took their manifestos to the people. Since the campaign began on August 15th, the candidates bidding to succeed the late Omar Bongo Ondimba have been using posters and radio/television jingles to sell themselves to the electorate. The former president’s son and candidate of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party ( PDG ), Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba , promised to end the “reign of impunity, of scheming and of laziness”. An independent candidate, Mehdi Teale , also promised a new chapter for Gabon, as he would ensure reconciliation, peace and respect for citizens’ rights. For his part, the candidate of the Morena Unioniste , Bienvenu Eric Mauro Nguemah , said he was committed to ensuring a re‐distribution of the nation’s wealth. He also promised to provide good roads, housing, water and electricity in rural areas. As for André Mba Obame , a former PDG member now running as an independent, there will be a break with the past in order to provide hope for the people. Another independent candidate, Casimir Oyé Mba , spoke of ensuring social justice, the re‐distribution of the nation’s wealth and the building of a prosperous nation for all Gabonese. Former prime minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong, who proclaimed himself the ‘candidate of courage’, also promised to ensure that all citizens benefit from the nation’s resources. The candidate of the opposition Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development ( UGDD ), Zacharie Myboto , vowed to ensure the re‐establishment of the rule of law and the enthronement of good governance, while Pierre Mamboundou , candidate of the Union of the Gabonese People ( UPG ), is advocating a virile health system for all citizens. (PANA, Libreville 19/8) Meanwhile, Radio France Internationale (Paris) reported on August 15th that interim President Rose Francine Rogombe had dismissed Ali Bongo from his Defence Ministry post. The announcement was made on national television on August 14th after several weeks of demands by the other candidates for Ali Bongo’s removal from the key post in government. He was the only presidential candidate who had remained in the transitional government. PANA (15/8) added that the opposition, which had organised a demonstration (which was violently repressed) to force him to resign, accused him [Bongo] of planning to use the army against the populace if he lost at the elections. In a separate development, a group of eleven candidates called for the postponement of the election, alleging errors on the voters’ registers and claiming that all the necessary conditions for a fair election had not been met. On August 23rd, a presidential candidate, Bruno Ben Moubamba , was released from hospital after receiving treatment, vowing to continue a nine‐day hunger strike that had led to his admission the previous day. According to AFP (23/8) , the strike was a bid to force the postponement of the presidential election because of what he called flagrant irregularities and inequalities in the electoral list. PANA (24/8) revealed that 813,154 voters were eligible to cast their vote. Voter turnout appeared high but heavy rain and a strong security presence meant the streets of the capital Libreville were largely empty during vote counting. Preliminary results, initially due on the evening of August 30 th , were delayed, The Citizen newspaper, Dar es Salaam, reported ( 31/8) . “There are no official results but the three main candidates, Pierre Mamboundou, Ali Ben Bongo and Andre Mba Obame, have all claimed victory,” RFI announced. Authorities called for calm after widespread allegations of vote‐rigging. “We began this calmly, so let’s end this calmly,” interim President Rogombe said, calling on losing candidates to accept the outcome and not send supporters into the streets. (Sources as referenced in the text) Presidential candidates p. 18032B http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series Wiley

GABON: Electoral Frenzy

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2009
ISSN
0001-9844
eISSN
1467-825X
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-825X.2009.02504.x
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Abstract

The August 30th election goes ahead amid frantic electioneering and despite opposition calls for postponement. PANA reported that the campaign by the 23 candidates who were to contest the August 30th presidential election in Gabon hit a frenzy, as the candidates took their manifestos to the people. Since the campaign began on August 15th, the candidates bidding to succeed the late Omar Bongo Ondimba have been using posters and radio/television jingles to sell themselves to the electorate. The former president’s son and candidate of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party ( PDG ), Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba , promised to end the “reign of impunity, of scheming and of laziness”. An independent candidate, Mehdi Teale , also promised a new chapter for Gabon, as he would ensure reconciliation, peace and respect for citizens’ rights. For his part, the candidate of the Morena Unioniste , Bienvenu Eric Mauro Nguemah , said he was committed to ensuring a re‐distribution of the nation’s wealth. He also promised to provide good roads, housing, water and electricity in rural areas. As for André Mba Obame , a former PDG member now running as an independent, there will be a break with the past in order to provide hope for the people. Another independent candidate, Casimir Oyé Mba , spoke of ensuring social justice, the re‐distribution of the nation’s wealth and the building of a prosperous nation for all Gabonese. Former prime minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong, who proclaimed himself the ‘candidate of courage’, also promised to ensure that all citizens benefit from the nation’s resources. The candidate of the opposition Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development ( UGDD ), Zacharie Myboto , vowed to ensure the re‐establishment of the rule of law and the enthronement of good governance, while Pierre Mamboundou , candidate of the Union of the Gabonese People ( UPG ), is advocating a virile health system for all citizens. (PANA, Libreville 19/8) Meanwhile, Radio France Internationale (Paris) reported on August 15th that interim President Rose Francine Rogombe had dismissed Ali Bongo from his Defence Ministry post. The announcement was made on national television on August 14th after several weeks of demands by the other candidates for Ali Bongo’s removal from the key post in government. He was the only presidential candidate who had remained in the transitional government. PANA (15/8) added that the opposition, which had organised a demonstration (which was violently repressed) to force him to resign, accused him [Bongo] of planning to use the army against the populace if he lost at the elections. In a separate development, a group of eleven candidates called for the postponement of the election, alleging errors on the voters’ registers and claiming that all the necessary conditions for a fair election had not been met. On August 23rd, a presidential candidate, Bruno Ben Moubamba , was released from hospital after receiving treatment, vowing to continue a nine‐day hunger strike that had led to his admission the previous day. According to AFP (23/8) , the strike was a bid to force the postponement of the presidential election because of what he called flagrant irregularities and inequalities in the electoral list. PANA (24/8) revealed that 813,154 voters were eligible to cast their vote. Voter turnout appeared high but heavy rain and a strong security presence meant the streets of the capital Libreville were largely empty during vote counting. Preliminary results, initially due on the evening of August 30 th , were delayed, The Citizen newspaper, Dar es Salaam, reported ( 31/8) . “There are no official results but the three main candidates, Pierre Mamboundou, Ali Ben Bongo and Andre Mba Obame, have all claimed victory,” RFI announced. Authorities called for calm after widespread allegations of vote‐rigging. “We began this calmly, so let’s end this calmly,” interim President Rogombe said, calling on losing candidates to accept the outcome and not send supporters into the streets. (Sources as referenced in the text) Presidential candidates p. 18032B

Journal

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series – Wiley

Published: Sep 1, 2009

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