2023-09-11 01:24:41
On August 30, the army overthrew the president Ali Bongoin power for 14 years, a few moments following he was proclaimed re-elected following an election deemed fraudulent by the military and the opposition.
The general Brice Oligui Nguemaproclaimed president of the transition, immediately promised to return power to civilians through elections at the end of a period whose duration he did not announce.
“It is good to start with a reasonable objective by saying: we want to see the process completed in 24 months so that we can return to elections,” declared Raymond Ndong Sima, civilian appointed Prime Minister last Thursday by the militaryadding that this period might be “slightly higher or lower”.
Read alsoBrice Oligui Nguema, from head of the Republican Guard to “president of the transition” in Gabon
Raymond Ndong Sima, 68, was appointed head of the transitional government by General Oligui Nguema. He was previously one of the tenors of the opposition to Ali Bongo Ondimba.
The coup d’état of August 30 took place in a few moments and without bloodshed, all the commanders of the army and police having gathered behind General Oligui.
The military coup leaders, who enjoy the support of a very large majority of the population and the opposition, claim to have acted to “preserve human lives” following a fraudulent election and to put an end to “bad governance” and ” corruption” of which they accuse the Bongo clan.
The military, “impartial arbiters of the election”
On Saturday, Raymond Ndong Sima announced the composition of his government appointed by General Oligui, which includes former ministers of the deposed president, members of the former opposition and civil society figures previously hostile to Ali Bongo Ondimba. and his family, who had ruled the country for over 55 years.
The Transition Charter put in place by the military prohibits members of the provisional government from running in the next elections, including Raymond Ndong Sima, but does not explicitly exclude General Oligui from running for the presidency.
The latter also promised a new Constitution which will be adopted by referendum and a new electoral code, with the participation of “all the living forces of the Nation”.
“The principle announced” by the military “is that there is no longer any opposition or majority, so we are taking people from all political families,” commented the Prime Minister. “The people who will (…) prepare different texts, will discuss this aspect of things, that is to say the duration (of the transition), and who is really authorized to present themselves and not introduce himself,” explained Raymond Ndong Sima.
“It would not be good for the military to present themselves, so that they can be impartial and objective arbiters of the election,” he nevertheless estimated.
Government independence questioned
The appointment by General Oligui Nguema, to the Presidency of the Transition as well as within the military committee which forms his close team, of officers in charge of most of the same sectors as the ministers of Raymond Ndong Sima raises the question of autonomy and room for maneuver of its civil government.
“It is not new to have alongside the president (of Gabon) heads of departments who ensure the interface between the president and the ministerial departments,” nuanced Raymond Ndong Sima.
“Will I have my hands free? That, I cannot know at the moment, we will see” and “it will depend on what the military want to obtain”, he estimated, adding: “If they want to obtain a satisfactory result, it will be in their interest to give a free hand to those they have called.”
Especially since “it is they (…) who will bear the brunt of what we are going to do”, therefore “it is in the interest of the military to give those they call the opportunity to work and to achieve results,” he said.
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