Citizens of Gabon have taken to the streets to applaud the military for ousting President Ali Bongo Ondimba in a coup d’état.
The coup took place on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, after Bongo was declared the winner of a disputed election. The military said that Bongo’s victory was illegitimate and that they had taken control of the country in order to “restore democracy.”
The coup has been met with widespread support from the Gabonese people, who have long been frustrated with Bongo’s authoritarian rule. In the capital, Libreville, people danced in the streets and waved flags in celebration.
“We are finally free,” said one woman. “Bongo was a dictator, and we are glad that he is gone.”
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The military has not yet announced who will be the new president of Gabon. However, they have promised to hold free and fair elections in the near future.
The coup is the latest in a series of political upheavals in Gabon. In 1967, Bongo’s father, Omar Bongo, overthrew the country’s first president, Léon M’ba. Ali Bongo took over from his father in 2009.
Bongo has been accused of corruption and human rights abuses. He has also been criticized for his close ties to France.
It remains to be seen how the coup will impact Gabon’s political future. However, the people of Gabon have clearly expressed their desire for change.