A referendum in Gabon saw 55 percent of approximately 860,000 voters supporting the establishment of a new constitution, which permits the head of the military junta to participate in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for August next year. This new constitution also introduces a seven-year term in office, renewable only once, replacing the previous five-year term without limits.
Reports from africa24hrsnews indicate that Brice Oligui Nguema, the military junta leader, praised the referendum as a “significant advancement” after casting his vote. He noted that Gabonese citizens were “voting transparently” and emphasized that this was a vital step towards restoring constitutional order in the oil-rich nation.
The results of the referendum, which will be confirmed by the constitutional court, also prohibit any member of a president’s family from running for the presidency. Additionally, it stipulates those presidential candidates must be exclusively Gabonese and have a Gabonese spouse. Critics argue that the requirement for a Gabonese spouse was specifically designed to disqualify the ousted President Ali Bongo, who is married to a French national, thus potentially ending the 55-year Bongo family rule.
Furthermore, the new legislation eliminates the position of Prime Minister, creating two vice presidential roles instead. While some view the new constitution as a positive development, others perceive it as a means to concentrate more power in the hands of the president in a country where one-third of the 2.1 million population lives below the poverty line, despite its oil wealth and extensive forests, according to the United Nations.
