General Brice Oligui Nguema, the commanding officer of Gabon’s elite Republican Guard, has been appointed as leader of the transitional government in Gabon.
The decision, which was announced on Wednesday, came hours after the military takeover that followed Gabon’s electoral commission declaring victory for President Ali Bongo in Saturday’s election.
President Bongo had claimed victory with 64.27% of the vote. The result of the vote was largely contested.
General Nguema has close ties to the ousted president, Ali Bongo. Son of a military officer, he joined the military service at a young age and pursued a degree in the Royal Military Academy of Meknes in Morocco.
He was subsequently recruited by members of the Republican Guard under the leadership of former President Omar Bongo. Nguema served as Bongo’s military assistant, known as an “aide-de-camp,” until the passing of the former Gabonese leader in 2009.
Following Omar Bongo’s son Ali Bongo’s rise to power in October 2009, General Nguema was dispatched on diplomatic missions to Morocco and Senegal. However, in 2018, he returned to Gabon, and a year later, he assumed leadership of the elite Republican Guard.
In the wake of the military takeover, coup leaders have announced a nightly curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., but they have assured the public that movement will be unrestricted during daylight hours on Thursday.
Lt. Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi, speaking on state television, emphasized the need for calm and serenity during this transitional period.
He stated: “The president of the transition insists on the need to maintain calm and serenity in our beautiful country… At the dawn of a new era, we will guarantee the peace, stability, and dignity of our beloved Gabon.”
