On Wednesday, the 30th of August, the Gabon military announced a coup in the country, claiming that the results of the recent presidential elections were falsified.
A group of officers appeared on local live television on the night to Wednesday, announcing the coup.
All state institutions were dissolved, election results annulled and borders closed until further notice, announced the group, calling itself the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions.
The committee decided to “put an end to the existing regime”, as explained by one of the officers in the group.
Several hours before the announcement from military personnel, the country’s central election commission announced the presidential election was won by Ali Bongo Ondimba, who received 64.27% of votes. His main opponent Albert Ondo Ossa received 30.77% of votes.
For Bongo this would have been his third presidential term. His family has been in charge of the country for more than 55 years.
The presidential elections received many criticisms. The government shut down the internet when votes were being counted on the weekend. A curfew was announced between 19:00 and 06:00. Broadcasts of multiple French radio stations were shut down.
There were no international observers at the elections. Requests for accreditation from foreign journalists were declined.
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