Sao Tome: President condemns Gabon coup, nationals advised to stay home

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Sao Tome: President condemns Gabon coup, nationals advised to stay home

9:28 CAT | 30 Aug 2023

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The president of São Tomé and Principe on Wednesday condemned the “reversal of constitutional order” by means of arms in Gabon, assuring that the São Toméan community in that country is well and has been advised to stay at home.

“It has been recurrent, unfortunately, but any form of reversal of the constitutional order cannot merit our agreement. Therefore, it is an act that we condemn because it follows the interruption of the normal functioning of the rule of law,” reacted Carlos Vila Nova, when asked about the situation in Gabon.

Carlos Vila Nova, who was speaking after presiding over an event celebrating the 48th anniversary of the São Toméan National Police, considered that “in this type of situation we must always respect the decisions of the people” who “are sovereign”, because “in a democracy elections are held and the results of elections must be accepted” or contested through the appropriate institutions.

For Vila Nova, “the seizure of power by arms or by force” is something that deserves the condemnation of São Tomé and Príncipe “and of all countries that actually live under the democratic rule of law”.

The São Toméan president said that he had been in contact with some Gabonese authorities and that they had informed him that “the situation seems calm”.

“I know that [Gabonese] President Ali Bongo is in permanent residence, so he’s fine, he’s healthy, under medical supervision (…) and the streets are being properly patrolled,” said Carlos Vila Nova.

The head of state said that “the São Toméan community is fine” and has been advised “not to leave their homes”, but the situation will have to be monitored in the coming hours.

Asked about the coup d’état that also took place recently in Niger, Carlos Vila Nova regretted that “the situation was not limited to Central Africa”, saying that “it’s a problem that affects all continents a little”, citing the case of Myanmar.

“The truth is that we have to find a way within the multilateral framework to avoid this. I defend peace, I will always defend peace, that’s why I will condemn any military intervention in Niger, so I prefer that a solution is found through dialogue,” said the São Toméan president.

Gabon has been facing a military coup since the early hours of this morning, which began shortly after the results of Saturday’s elections were announced, according to which President Ali Bongo Ondimba would remain in power, continuing his family’s 55-year hold on power.

A group of Gabonese soldiers announced on television the cancellation of the presidential elections that re-elected Ali Bongo and the dissolution of all democratic institutions.

After observing “irresponsible and unpredictable governance resulting in a continuous deterioration of social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos (…) it was decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,” declared one of the soldiers.

The same military officer, claiming to speak on behalf of a Transition and Institutional Restoration Committee, said that all of Gabon’s borders were “closed until further notice”.

According to Agence France-Presse, automatic machine-gun fire was heard in Libreville during the television broadcast.

Hours earlier, in the middle of the night, at 03:30 (same time in Lisbon), the Gabonese Electoral Centre (CGE) had broadcast the official results of the presidential elections on state television, without any prior announcement.

The electoral commission announced that President Ali Bongo Ondimba, in power for 14 years, had won a third term in office in Saturday’s elections with 64.27 per cent of the votes cast, beating his main rival, Albert Ondo Ossa, with 30.77 per cent of the vote.

The announcement was made at a time when Gabon was under curfew and internet access was suspended throughout the country, measures imposed by the government on Saturday, the day of the elections.

Source: Lusa