Gabon coup: A timeline of political upheaval in Africa since 2020

In what appears to be a snowball effect, countries in the African continent have been experiencing upheaval as a result of military coups since 2020. On Wednesday, just minutes after President Ali Bongo was proclaimed to have won a third term, a group of top military officers in Gabon stated on national television that they had taken power and that election results had been nullified. If successful, it would be the eighth coup in West and Central Africa since 2020, a region that had made efforts in the previous decade to overcome its reputation as a “coup belt,” only for ongoing insecurity and corruption to open the door to military leaders. Africa has seen eight coups since August 2020, and the continent has seen the most successful military coups (106 in total) since 1950. Here’s a timeline of some recent coups: 2023: Gabon President Bongo, whose family has ruled Gabon for 55 years, is declared winner of an 26 August election the Opposition says was fraudulent. Moments later, army officers appear on national television to announce the dissolving of state institutions and the closure of the country’s borders. Bongo is placed under house arrest and General Brice Oligui Nguema is named transitional president. 2023: Niger On 26 July 2023, members of the presidential guard overthrow Niger’s president Mohamed Bazoum, elected in 2021. General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the presidential guard, takes over. On 10 August, the West African regional bloc ECOWAS approves the deployment of a standby force “to restore constitutional order”, but still seeks a diplomatic solution. [caption id=“attachment_13059872” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A defaced billboard of Gabon president Ali Bongo Ondimba is seen on an empty street in Libreville, Gabon. AP[/caption] Niger’s new military ruler proposes a transition period of no more than three years to hand back power to civilians. 2022: Burkina Faso Burkina Faso underwent two military coups last year. In January 2022, mutinous soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba arrest President Roch Marc Christian Kabore. On 30 September, army officers announce that they have dismissed Damiba. Captain Ibrahim Traore becomes transitional president until a new presidential election planned for July 2024. 2021: Sudan After weeks of tension between the military and civilian leaders who had shared power since the ousting of dictator Omar al-Bashir, the armed forces led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stage a new coup on 25 October. On 15 April, 2023, a war breaks out between Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, killing at least 5,000.

2021: Guinea In September 2021, mutinous troops led by lieutenant-colonel Mamady Doumbouya take over in Guinea, arresting 83-year-old President Alpha Conde. Conde had changed the constitution a year before to avoid constraints that would have stopped him from running for a third term, sparking violent unrest. Doumbouya has pledged to return power to elected civilians by the end of 2024. ECOWAS rejected the deadline and issued sanctions, including the blocking of junta members’ bank accounts. The military leadership later proposed starting the 24-month transition period in January 2023, but Opposition parties argue it has done little to put institutions and a plan in place to return to constitutional governance. 2021: Chad In April 2021, Chad’s army assumed power after President Idriss Deby was murdered on the battlefield while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north. [caption id=“attachment_13059852” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Soldiers holding General Brice Clothaire Oligui Nguema aloft in Libreville, Gabon. AP[/caption] According to Chadian laws, the speaker of parliament should have been elected president. However, in the name of safeguarding stability, a military council intervened and dissolved parliament. Deby’s son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, was named interim president and tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to elections, which led to riots in the capital N’Djamena that were put down by the military. 2020, 2021: Mali Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is overthrown in August 2020. The coup came after anti-government protests over deteriorating security, contested legislative elections, and corruption claims. Under pressure from Mali’s West African neighbours, the junta agreed to hand over power to a civilian-led interim administration entrusted with overseeing an 18-month transition period leading up to democratic elections in February 2022. In May 2021, the Malian military takes over again after the civilian leaders of an interim government remove soldiers from some key posts. Colonel Assimi Goita, who led both coups, has vowed to hold free elections by February 2024. With inputs from agencies