In a dramatic turn of events, Gabonese soldiers took control of the airwaves on Wednesday, declaring an end to the existing regime and nullifying the recently announced election victory of President Ali Bongo Ondimba. The declaration was accompanied by sounds of gunfire echoing through the capital city, Libreville.
During the broadcast, a soldier conveyed that “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved. Speaking on behalf of the “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions,” he expressed the soldiers’ determination to safeguard peace by toppling the current administration. The soldier announced, “As a consequence, the results of the general elections held on August 26, 2023, and the associated outcomes are hereby invalidated.”
The unprecedented move also involved the dissolution of key state entities: “The government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court have all been dissolved,” he proclaimed. Furthermore, the soldier disclosed the immediate closure of the nation’s borders “until further notice.”
The group behind this takeover consisted of soldiers from the Republican Guard, regular army personnel, and police officers. The situation remains fluid and tense, casting a cloud of uncertainty over Gabon’s political landscape.