On Wednesday, military officials in Gabon announced the coup of the government, ostensibly in order to remove President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had just recently been re-elected after 14 years in office.
This comes after a string of coups in Africa, including one that occurred in Niger in July.
The fate of President Ali Bongo was uncertain, but the area around his residence appeared calm.
The officers, including army colonels and members of the Republican Guard, announced the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic” during a televised statement.
Their announcement came shortly after the national election authority declared Bongo’s victory in the recent election with 64.27% of the vote.
Bongo succeeded his father in 2009 and has faced accusations of fraud from his main rival, Albert Ondo Ossa.
The officer argued that the most recent election did not adhere to standards for openness and inclusion and cited a “serious institutional, political, economic, and social crisis” as justification.
Along with the dissolution of important institutions including the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court, the coup included the announcement of the closing of the nation’s borders.
Concerned about the situation in Gabon, France and China demanded assurances of President Bongo’s safety.
