General Brice Olegy Nguema salutes at his inauguration as interim President of Gabon in Libreville on Monday.
–/ AFP via Getty Images
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–/ AFP via Getty Images
General Brice Olegy Nguema salutes at his inauguration as interim President of Gabon in Libreville on Monday.
–/ AFP via Getty Images
LAGOS, Nigeria – The leader of a military coup in Gabon last week was sworn in as the interim president of the central African country, while the ousted former president remains confined to his residence.
General Brice Olegie Nguema was head of the presidential guard but will now take command of Gabon, less than a week after the army took power in the biodiversity-rich country and ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Bongo assumed the presidency for 14 years, succeeding his father Omar Bongo, who ruled the country for more than 40 years until his death in 2009.
The soldiers arrested Ali Bongo Ondimba immediately after he announced his victory in the elections, which opposition groups described as rigged.
His removal from office was celebrated by many in the country, frustrated by widespread corruption allegations involving the country’s resources and economic woes. The unemployment rate among those aged between 15 and 24 in Gabon is close to 40%, and more than 30% of the population lives in poverty.
However, the new military commander himself, Olegoy, is a cousin of the ousted president, and he has also raised concerns. Political groups called on the new authorities to set a date for the handover of power to a civilian government.
Olegy said the transition to an elected government would happen “quickly and definitely”, but gave no details on the timing. He said that the authorities need time to ensure the credibility of the new elections.
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