This Wednesday, August 30, just as the official results of the general elections indicated Ali Bongo’s supposed victory with 64.27% of the vote in a highly tense context that included an internet blackout and a ban on election observation, a group of soldiers announced on television the cancellation of the election and the dissolution of institutions, plunging Gabon into general confusion.

Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who has been in power for 14 years and was seeking a third term, was running against a dozen candidates, including his main rival Albert Ondo Ossa, who reportedly scored only 30.77% of the vote, according to the results announced by the President of the Gabonese Elections Centre (CGE), Michel Stéphane Bonda, on the public television channel Gabon 1ère.

Mr. Ondo Ossa had denounced “fraud orchestrated by the Bongo camp” two hours before the polls closed on Saturday. At the time, he was already claiming victory and urging the outgoing president to “organise a bloodless transfer of power”.

Subsequently, on Wednesday August 30, soldiers from the national army and police announced, in a communiqué broadcast on the Gabon 24 television channel housed within the Presidency, the cancellation of the elections, the dissolution of “all the institutions of the Republic” and the “end of the Bongo regime”. This unexpected upheaval occurred as the government had cut off all internet access and introduced a curfew since August 26, the day of the elections, to ” counter the spread of misleading and inflammatory information”, banning journalists and observers from witnessing the vote.

Last April, the Gabonese Senate amended the Constitution to reduce the term of office from 7 to 5 years, and the election rounds from two to one round.

The long 56-year reign of the Bongo family has left many Gabonese with a deep sense of frustration. This frustration is due to a combination of factors, including a precarious socio-economic situation, poor governance and inequitable distribution of the country’s resources. Ali Bongo, who was in power for 14 years, came to power through elections following the death of his father Omar Bongo, who remained in power for 42 years (1967-2009).

While deeply concerned by the prevailing situation in Gabon, AfricTivistes strongly objects to the conditions under which these presidential elections were held.

Indeed, on August 26, the presidential elections took place in the complete absence of international observers, both African and European, as well as foreign media who were refused accreditation or entry to the country. This regrettable decision fuelled the accusations of fraud levelled by the opposition and a section of civil society. Moreover, a number of international media decried these bans.

In addition to these irregularities, there were delays in the start-up of voting due to the failure to staff polling stations with election officials and equipment. Subsequently, the official results were processed in the middle of the night, against a backdrop of curfews and Internet blackouts, creating an atmosphere conducive to an “electoral putsch” in a country where key government posts are controlled by sympathisers or members of the Bongo family. These results were declared on public television without any prior announcement.

AfricTivistes finds such practices unacceptable. In addition to being anti-democratic, they raise suspicion and discredit the functioning of the electoral apparatus.

Echoing the many voices raised at the time to denounce these restrictive measures, AfricTivistes in turn deplores and protests against these measures, which undermine the principles of transparency in violation of Article 17 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

Moreover, these practices deprive the people of their access to reliable and plural sources of information, as well as their individual freedom of movement.

Moreover, Internet blackouts and other forms of online restrictions constitute a violation of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and access to information. African governments must refrain from cutting off the Internet out of respect for fundamental rights.

Gabon is no stranger to such actions. Back in 2016, the announcement of the presidential election results provoked an unprecedented post-election crisis. A day later than announced, the Electoral Commission declared Ali Bongo’s victory, justifying it by a lead of 5,000 votes. But on closer inspection, the results in Haut-Ogooué prompted opponent Jean Ping to claim that his victory had been stolen. The government shut down the Internet and violence broke out. It was harshly repressed, resulting in at least 5 deaths, dozens of injuries and 1,000 arrests.

Consequently, AfricTivistes once again firmly deplores Wednesday’s coup d’état, and asserts that a coup is in no way a solution to the post-electoral crisis, nor a democratic changeover in any country whatsoever. This eighth (8) consecutive putsch in Africa within three years consolidates the democratic backsliding observed on the continent in recent years.

Once again, these repeated power takeovers trample on the commitments of the African Charter on Elections, Democracy and Governance, the African Union’s main document on democratic governance.

AfricTivistes therefore calls on the military coup leaders, and more specifically General Brice Oligui Nguema, to conduct a free and transparent recount of the votes validly cast by some 850,000 voters on Saturday, in order to restore constitutional order. This will guarantee the legitimacy of the ballot box and lay the foundations for the establishment of democratic governance in this country of over 2 million inhabitants.

AfricTivistes urges all political players on the continent to uphold strictly democratic principles, good governance and transparency, in order to finally put an end to this cycle of instability and insecurity caused by military, constitutional or electoral coups d’état on the continent.

Lastly, AfricTivistes renews its solidarity with Gabonese civil society and the Gabonese people during this time of crisis, calling on the military to bring all the country’s main players on board as soon as possible to resolve the crisis.