Gabon locks down city amid riots

Police used teargas and batons to clear protesters in Libreville A night-time curfew has been declared in Gabon's Port Gentil after violence by opposition activists and attacks on French interests in the city. Earlier, opposition groups clashed with security forces in the capital, Libreville, after presidential election results declared Ali Bongo the winner. France, Gabon's former ruler, has told its 10,000 citizens to stay inside. Critics say the poll, held on the death of Ali's father, Omar, who ruled the oil-rich state for 41 years, was fixed. French protection In other violence in Port Gentil, Gabon's second city, opposition supporters stormed a jail, freeing its inmates. ALI BEN BONGO Born in 1959 in Brazzaville, his mother is Gabonese singer and musician Patience Dabany Studied at Sorbonne in Paris before entering politics in 1981 Became foreign affairs minister in 1989 - forced to quit in 1991 because he was too young Organised pop-star Michael Jackson's visit to Gabon in 1992 Served as defence minister 1999-2009 Source: Ali Ben Bongo's website Bongo dynasty continues They later rampaged through the streets and set fire to the French consulate - as many accuse the former colonial power of propping up the late Omar Bongo's government. Crowds also attacked installations belonging to the French oil company, Total. France has about 1,000 troops stationed in Gabon and its International Development Minister Alain Joyandet said "measures were in place" to protect French citizens. Earlier, police used teargas and batons to disperse protests in Libreville. 'Electoral coup' Former interior minister Andre Mba Obame, who came second in Gabon's presidential election, told AFP he "does not recognise the results" and that he is in fact the winner. "This is an electoral coup d'etat. I do not recognise the election results. It is me who won," Mr Mba Obame said by telephone from a secret location. Opposition leaders have denounced the poll results as a fraud and accuse Mr Bongo and his supporters of carrying out a coup d'etat. Another of the beaten candidates, Pierre Mamboundou, led protests overnight in Libreville. A senior member of his party, the Gabonese People's Union, says Mr Mamboundou was seriously injured in the head and shoulder, but was now safe. 'Unifier' Amid the unrest, Ali Ben Bongo pledged to be a uniting force for the oil-rich nation. "As far as I am concerned, I am and I will always be the president of all the people of Gabon," he said after his victory was announced. "I am and I will always be at the service of all, without exclusion." Mr Bongo was widely tipped to succeed his father, who died in June. One of the world's richest men, the late president owned a string of properties in France and was an unflinching ally of Paris. A month before his death, French courts began to investigate Mr Bongo for corruption - allegations he denied. Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fourth biggest oil producer and Africa's second biggest wood exporter, although most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty. CREDIT: BBC

Read more...

Bongo wins disputed Gabon ballot

Bongo wins disputed Gabon ballot

Ali Ben Bongo was widely tipped to succeed his father The son of Gabon's late leader Omar Bongo has been declared the winner of the country's presidential election, amid protests from opposition groups. Ali Ben Bongo won almost 42% of the votes, with his nearest rival on 26%. Mr Bongo, whose father ruled the oil-rich nation for four decades before his death in June, was expected to win. But his critics say the vote was fixed to ensure a dynastic succession, and activists and security forces have been fighting amid widespread unrest. Prison breakout Police used teargas and batons to disperse hundreds of opposition activists in the capital, Libreville. But disturbances have continued, with crowds of activists breaking into a prison and freed hundreds of inmates in the second city of Port-Gentil. AFP news agency reporting that the crowds then set fire to France's consular building in Port-Gentil. The election has been mired in controversy - with the announcement of results delayed amid a misunderstanding between election officials over how to verify the votes. All three of the main candidates declared victory in the poll - while another candidate went on hunger strike to protest against what he saw as irregularities in the election process. Sunday's vote was generally peaceful but tense, with long queues of voters waiting to chose a successor to Omar Bongo. One of the world's richest men, the late president owned a string of properties in France. He was an unflinching ally of France and a key element in French influence in Central Africa. But he denied corruption charges in French courts. BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says that Ali Ben Bongo is seen as less closely linked to the French elite than his father, despite being educated at the Sorbonne. He is also somewhat detached from ordinary Gabonese, struggling to speak local languages with real fluency, he says. Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fourth biggest oil producer and Africa's second biggest wood exporter, although most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty. Source: BBC

Read more...

Confusion over Gabon candidates

Andre Mba Obame could be boosted by the ethnic vote Two days before elections in Gabon to replace the late President Omar Bongo, at least five out of 23 candidates have said they are pulling out of the race. They say they will now back Andre Mba Obame, a former government minister. But several other candidates denied media reports that they had also withdrawn in favour of Mr Obame. The favourite to win Sunday's poll is Ali Ben Bongo, the son of the former president who ruled Gabon from 1967 until his death in June. Some of the candidates have complained of voter registration irregularities, including Bruno Ben Moubamba, who has gone on hunger strike in protest. He, however, denied reports that he was one of those who had withdrawn from the race and was supporting Mr Obame. Following overnight talks, one of those pulling out of the race, Anna Claudine Assayi Ayo, said that "consultations resulted in a secret vote and the designation of Andre Mba Obame [as candidate]". Mr Obame was the interior minister under President Bongo. He was a senior member of the ruling Gabonese Democratic party (PDG) until deciding to run as an independent after it selected Ali Ben Bongo as its candidate. He, and some of those who withdrew from the election, are from the Fang ethnic group - Gabon's largest - and correspondents say this could help him pose a serious challenge to Mr Bongo. However, the anti-Bongo vote still looks set to be divided, while the PDG candidate enjoys the advantage of having the best-financed campaign. Gabon is a major oil producer but most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty. The late President Bongo was facing charges of corruption in a French court when he died. BBC

Read more...

Cunting begins in Gabon election

The capital, Libreville, was said to be tense during the day Counting has begun in Gabon, following an election to choose a successor to President Omar Bongo, who died after 41 years in power. Scheduled polling closed at 1700GMT but some stations continued to accept votes after that as they had opened late. Turnout was said to be be high with long queues at some polling stations. President Bongo's son, Ali Ben Bongo, is favourite to succeed but the poll has been marred by the pullout of a number of candidates. Five of the 23 withdrew on Friday and another, Cassimir Oye Mba, pulled out on polling day. He said he did not want to vindicate a "calamitous electoral process which doesn't look like being clean and credible". He was one of the major rivals, along with Andre Mba Obame. Observers In the capital, Libreville, the atmosphere was described as tense throughout the day. Ali Ben Bongo hopes to win over a divided opposition One voter in the Louis district, Tony Rapariga, told AFP: "If Ali wins, we will burn everything. You will not find even 10 of his supporters here. It's impossible for him to win." The results of early counting are expected within hours but the full tally is not due for a few days. There have been more than 300 observers overseeing the vote. Ali Ben Bongo has promised to boost what he says is the prosperity that Gabon enjoyed during his father's years in power. But his rivals say there has been endemic corruption and favouritism in Gabon. Omar Bongo was one of the world's richest men, with a string of properties in France. He was an unflinching ally of France and a key element in French influence in Central Africa. BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says that Ali Ben Bongo is seen as less closely linked to the French elite than his father, despite being educated at the Sorbonne. He is also somewhat detached from ordinary Gabonese, struggling to speak local languages with real fluency, our correspondent says. Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fourth biggest oil producer and Africa's second biggest wood exporter, although most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty.

Read more...

Supermodel fears over Gabon vote

Gloria Mika has stepped off the catwalk in Paris to head a campaign for a transparent vote on 30 August. Gabonese supermodel Gloria Mika has told the BBC she fears possible violence if elections in the West African nation are not free and fair. The 29-year-old model has stepped off the catwalk in Paris to head a campaign for a transparent vote on 30 August. The polls follow the death of Omar Bongo, Africa's longest-serving leader. Ms Mika says her aim is not necessarily to stop his son Ali Ben Bongo winning the presidency, but to remind the Gabonese that their vote counts. "Forty-two years with the same president could make the citizens feel like: 'What can we do anyway?'" she said. Guardian angels Ms Mika, who is the face of L'Oreal cosmetics, left Gabon at the age of 16. Talking to the BBC's World Today programme and BBC French service, she said she has been surprised that her campaign has gathered such momentum. It started earlier this month with a group on the social networking site Facebook and she now has a website, The Guardian Angels of Gabon. Her aim is to recruit volunteers to act as observers at polling stations on 30 August. "The feedback has been beyond my expectations," she said. But it has also brought unexpected stresses, as different parties try to influence her. She said with 23 presidential candidates and only one round, the prospects of a free vote are slim. "It means the winner could be elected with 20% of the vote," she said. She commended Bruno Ben Moubamba, an independent candidate who has gone on hunger strike demanding a postponement, for his conviction. But Ms Mika will not be making the trip home next weekend, voting instead with other expatriates in Paris. Omar Bongo amassed a vast fortune during his years in office - but most of the 1.4 million people in Gabon live in poverty. Source: BBC/UK

Read more...