LIBREVILLE, Gabon — Gabon’s former president, Ali Bongo, ousted in a military coup last month, has been granted the freedom to leave the country, according to the leader of the putsch, General Brice Oligui Nguema.
The statement was made on state television on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, marking a significant turning point in Gabon’s fraught political landscape.
“He has freedom of movement… and can travel abroad if he wishes,” Nguema said.
The announcement comes as international attention focuses on Gabon, grappling with political instability following the military coup on August 30.
Bongo, who led the nation for 14 years, was under house arrest just moments after his party announced his re-election — a vote that the coup leaders described as fraudulent.
“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba has freedom of movement. He can travel abroad if he wishes to carry out his medical checks,” Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi stated, reading a press release signed by Oligui, who took his oath as transitional president this Monday.
The former president, who had been in power since 2009, suffered a debilitating stroke in October 2018 that left him with limited mobility, particularly affecting his right leg and arm.
The decision to allow him to travel abroad for medical checks presents a complex dynamic, raising questions about the coup leaders’ intentions and the future of Gabon’s political stability.
International experts have raised concerns about the sudden leniency shown towards Bongo.
“This is a delicate moment for Gabon, and the decision to let Bongo leave the country is puzzling,” said Dr. Emily Harrison, a political analyst specializing in African politics.
“It could be a strategic move by the coup leaders to gain some international goodwill, or it might indicate internal disagreements within the new regime.”
The announcement will surely evoke mixed reactions within Gabon and the global community.
While some may see it as a humane gesture considering Bongo’s health condition, others might view it as a calculated move by the new leadership to divert international scrutiny.
Whatever the underlying reasons, Bongo’s newfound freedom raises new questions about the volatile political situation in Gabon, even as the international community watches cautiously, trying to anticipate the country’s next moves.
