Gabon’s sixty-four-year-old President, Ali Bongo Ondimba recently announced his intention to run for a third term.
“I officially announce today that I am a candidate,” he told a crowd of supporters in a speech on Facebook Live.
After suffering a stroke five years ago, Bongo’s health status has been the subject of speculation. The rumours about his failing health were further fueled by his rare public appearances in the media. However, his recent announcement on Facebook Live has dispelled such speculations.
Born Alain Bernard Bongo in 1959 to Josephine Kama, in the Congolese city of Brazzaville under French colonial rule, Ali took up music in his younger years. As an aspiring funk singer, he released an album in 1977 featuring renowned musicians like Quincy Jones and James Brown. However, his musical career was put on hold when his charismatic father, Omar Bongo led him into politics.
Omar Bongo, the then-president of Gabon took office in 1967. At that time, he was among the wealthiest men in the world, a fortune believed to have been derived from Gabon’s oil. Ali Bongo worked as his father’s faithful lieutenant, travelling the globe and building extensive contacts in the United States and the Arab world during the second oil boom.
Ali Bongo soon rose to power with his appointment as foreign minister in 1989 at the age of 30. However, his tenure as minister was short-lived when he was forced to resign two years later with a new constitution requiring that cabinet members be at least 35.
By 1999, he was back in office serving as the country’s defence minister, a position he occupied until the beginning of the election season in 2009. Despite considerable criticism within the ruling party, the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), and his father’s well-documented legacy of corruption, the shift to Bongo junior was not unexpected given his years of preparation and his ambitious nature.
Promising a number of initiatives as president, Ali Bongo sought the diversification of the economy, the opening of Gabonese market to Asian investors, and the construction of a sizable marina in the centre of Libreville, the country’s capital. In spite of his failed projects, he was commended by the United Nations for his care to nature and his legacy of building a wildlife park that now encircles the nation’s capital.
In both houses of parliament, his Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) maintains resounding majorities.
In an election marred by several electoral malpractices, Ali Bongo managed to win a second term by a narrow margin of 5594 in 2016. While some observers opine that this is due to the lack of coordination and unity within the Gabonese opposition parties, it is clear that he remains the favourite candidate within the ruling party.
Ali Bongo’s hold on power has been largely attributed to the disunity and failure of the opposition to agree on a single candidate to challenge him. This had led to the splitting of votes among the candidates.
As of today, 15 candidates have announced their intentions to contest against Bongo in the coming elections. Former Minister Paulette Missambo, head of the National Union party, and Alexandre Barro Chambrier, who served as a minister to the current president and his father, are also contesting in the elections.
After succeeding his father in 2009, the family, which has now dominated and ruled the nation for 55 years, has been labelled a “dynastic power” by the opposition.
Given its relatively modest population of around 2.3 million people and high per capita GDP, Gabon remains one of the wealthiest nations in Africa. This is due to its oil exports. 38.5%of its GDP and 70.5 % of its export earnings are from the export of crude oil, but thanks to the alleged corruption of the Bongo family, 31.2% of the citizens still live in poverty.
The presidential election is slated for Saturday, the 26th of August 2023. For the candidates who are going up against Ali Bongo, will the third time be the charm?