Gabon heads to first presidential poll since 2023 military coup

Voters in Gabon headed to polling stations on Saturday in the first presidential election since a 2023 military coup ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years.

Analysts have predicted an overwhelming victory for the interim president who led the coup.

Some 920,000 voters, including over 28,000 overseas, are registered to participate across more than 3,000 polling stations. It is a crucial election for the country’s 2.3 million people, a third of whom live in poverty despite its vast oil wealth.

The interim president, Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, 50, toppled President Ali Bongo Ondimba two years ago. He hopes to consolidate his grip on power for a seven-year term in office.

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Bongo was placed under house arrest after the coup but freed a week later due to health concerns. His wife and son were detained and charged with corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Bongo himself was not charged.

Following the coup, Oligui Nguema promised to “return power to civilians” through “credible elections” and declared himself a candidate last month. He has touted himself as a leader who wants to unify the Gabonese and give them hope, running his presidential campaign under the slogan: “We Build Together.”

His main challenger is Bongo’s former prime minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who has promised to reorganize public finances, create jobs for young people and “end the umbilical cord” with former colonial ruler France.

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In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Bilie-By-Nze said he didn’t expect the election to be fair or transparent. “Everything has been done to lock down the vote,” he said.