Ripples in Africa: Gabon's Coup and the Continent's Quest for Sovereignty
Gabon's recent military coup reflects a broader trend across Africa, where long-standing dynastic dominances face challenges from restless populations and military factions.
This morning, a small nation in Central Africa joined the long list of African nations to have experienced a military coup in recent years. Gabon jolted the world following allegedly fraudulent elections when the military took control, announcing on public television that the elections had been nullified and that they were now in charge - at least transitionally. At the heart of Gabon's political saga lies the Bongo family. Omar Bongo started the legacy in 1967, and his son, Ali Bongo, continued it, giving the dynasty an uninterrupted rule. The shift in power witnessed this morning isn't just a fresh chapter in Gabon's rich but tumultuous history; it's a direct challenge to the enduring influence of the Bongo dynasty. Yet again we see the deep-seated discontent of an exploited populace in Africa that is fed up with an increasingly out of touch ruling elite.
In the hours following their televised assertion of control, the military junta dissolved all state institutions, including the Federal Government, Senate, and the National Assembly before marking a definitive break from the existing political order by placing former-President Ali Bongo under house arrest. The borders were closed "until further notice," likely to safeguard the transitioning regime from external influences seeking to safeguard their monopoly on regional resources. Despite the inherent physicality of a coup d'etat, the soldiers appeared to display a resolute commitment to calm was evident as they urged the public, Gabonese diaspora, and sister nations for peace and serenity during the transition.
Footage of subsequent celebrations throughout the small country seem to echo in agreement with the leaders of the coup. The statement made by the men this morning certainly doesn’t ring of violence. “People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness. May God and the spirits of our ancestors bless Gabon. Honour and loyalty to our homeland.”
Before condemning the coup on democratic grounds, it’s important to understand the context of this past weekend’s elections in Gabon. A cloud of allegations followed suspicious moves by Bongo’s Administration. An abrupt interruption of internet servers, mandated suspension of foreign broadcasts, and the imposition of a nighttime curfew across Gabon left many citizens feeling as though they were in an information blackout, secluded from the rest of the world. These combined factors and lack of international observation created an ideal environment for potential electoral malpractices too threatening to ignore.
Bongo’s reputation certainly didn’t do him any good either. The US State Department, for example, released the GABON HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT outlining multiple human rights violations listed verbatim as follows: “torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by government authorities; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; political prisoners and detainees; interference with freedom of peaceful assembly and serious restrictions on freedom of movement because of COVID-19 mitigation measures; inability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections; restrictions on political participation; serious acts of corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for violence against women; and the worst forms of child labor.”
Criticism of the Bongo dynasty has been a feature of Gabonese power for decades. French/Norwegian politician Eva Joly illuminated this disparity in 2006, highlighting that, despite Gabon's impressive oil-led GDP growth, tangible signs of development remained dishearteningly scant. Astonishingly, despite having had one of the highest levels of GDP per capita growth in Africa, the nation’s infrastructure experienced the building a mere 5 km of freeway each year.
Even more damning was the revelation that, by the time of Omar Bongo's demise in 2009, Gabon had one of the world's highest infant mortality rates. This statistic, perhaps more than any other, lays bare the chasm between the nation's potential under the Bongo dynasty and the stark reality its citizens faced daily.
With the historical context in mind, the events witnessed the morning are far from surprising and may, in fact, be a sign of positive change. The latest events in Gabon signify the potential realization of a long-awaited national reprieve from entrenched dynastic politics and the shadow of neocolonial influence. This move by the military junta can not only recalibrate Gabon's internal governance but present a formidable challenge to decades of external impositions as well. As Gabon joins a host of other African nations driving the current shifts in global power, we find cautious optimism that true sovereignty in the name of each individual nation’s interest will finally take precedence in international relations. Lord knows, they’re not alone.
-The Shultz Report by M. Shultz