Gabon’s ousted former President Ali Bongo Ondimba has been launched from home arrest and has arrived in Luanda together with his household, Angola’s presidency introduced Friday.
Bongo, who was deposed in an August 2023 coup after his household’s 55-year grip on energy, had been held within the capital, Libreville. His spouse and son, additionally detained, confronted accusations of embezzling public funds.
The Angolan presidency confirmed their arrival in Luanda by way of a Facebook assertion, sharing pictures of Bongo being acquired on the airport.
“The Bongo family has been released and has just arrived in Luanda,” the assertion stated.
The household’s launch adopted talks between Angolan President Joao Lourenco and Gabon’s new chief, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the assertion added, with out offering additional particulars.
Oligui, a former junta chief, seized energy within the oil-rich nation within the August 2023 coup that ended the Bongo dynasty’s 55-year reign.
The normal was sworn in earlier this month after successful 94.85% of the vote in an April 12 election, which worldwide observers stated confirmed no main irregularities.
Oligui’s foremost rival, Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze – the ultimate prime minister beneath Bongo – stated the household’s launch confirmed that their detention “did not respect the framework of law and justice.”
“President Oligui Nguema did not show clemency; he had to bow to international demands after what everyone understood to be an abuse of power,” he stated.
Lawyers for Bongo’s French-born spouse, Sylvia, 62, and son, Noureddin, 33, alleged they have been tortured whereas in detention.
Several Gabonese media shops lately reported that the 2 had been moved from cells in a presidential annex to a household residence in Libreville.
‘Real disgrace’
Geoffroy Foumboula Libeka, a member of the transitional parliament, stated the household’s nighttime relocation “in total silence” was “a real disgrace for the first days” of the brand new authorities.
“Where is Gabon’s sovereignty?” he posted on social media, claiming the household’s launch was “the price to pay” for Gabon’s reintegration into the African Union, at present chaired by Lourenco.
The African Union introduced on April 30 that it had lifted sanctions towards Gabon, which had been suspended from the group following the coup.
The nation of two.3 million individuals has struggled with excessive unemployment, frequent energy and water cuts, and mounting public debt – regardless of its huge oil wealth.
The Gabonese presidency stated on social media on May 12 that Lourenco met with Oligui in Libreville for talks targeted on “strengthening bilateral cooperation and ensuring the smooth running of democratic elections” to mark the top of Gabon’s political transition.
They additionally mentioned the lifting of AU sanctions following Gabon’s reintegration.
Bongo, 66, who’s believed to be sick, got here to energy in 2009, succeeding his father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, who dominated for 41 years.
He narrowly gained a second time period in 2016, defeating opposition chief Jean Ping by a number of thousand votes in a disputed election marked by violence and allegations of fraud.
Bongo suffered a stroke in October 2018 whereas visiting Saudi Arabia, fueling hypothesis about his well being and skill to control. His public appearances turned more and more uncommon, and he seldom spoke stay outdoors the presidential palace.
He dominated for 14 years till he was overthrown simply moments after being declared the winner of a presidential election the military and opposition each labeled fraudulent.
Source: www.dailysabah.com