Leader Oligui promises democratic rejuvenation during presidential inauguration following coup in Gabon.
Throngs of excited supporters, clad in shirts and flags adorned with Oligui's image, flocked to a colossal stadium in the bustling heart of Libreville for his inauguration ceremony.
With a thunderous roar from the crowd, Oligui made his grand entrance at approximately 1:30 pm local time, riding in a sleek, open-roofed vehicle. A stark contrast to his military attire, he donned a suave dark suit with a vibrant red sash slung across his chest for the momentous occasion.
Sixteen African heads of state took part in this historic inauguration ceremony.
At just 50 years old, Nguema – previously the head of Gabon's republican guard unit – has vowed to modernize the oil-reliant nation, overhaul the education system, and combat its staggering youth joblessness.
During his inauguration speech, Nguema declared, "Today, we commemorate the blossoming of democracy." He continued, "I pledge to serve, shield, and unite every Gabonese citizen – this is the essence of my oath."
Nguema handily defeated seven other competitors in the April 12 vote, including the outgoing Prime Minister, Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who managed a mere 3% of the voter share. Not a single rival achieved over 1% of the vote. The overall voter turnout was an impressive 70.11%.
Over 920,000 registered voters, including more than 28,000 foreigners, cast their ballots at over 3,000 polling stations.
Learn moreGabon’s coup leader bagged the presidency with a landslide victory, as per preliminary results
Gabon is plagued by a dismal unemployment rate, particularly among young graduates, and its economy is heavily dependent on oil. Additionally, the nation faces an infrastructure deficiency, including inadequate road systems linking the regional provinces and insufficient basic services like clean water distribution to the populace.
A Fresh Start for Gabon
Nguema deposed President Ali Bongo Ondimba in 2023 and presided over Gabon's transition before competing and triumphing in the presidential election on April 12, winning a whopping 58,074 votes, or 94.85% of the votes cast.
Speaking to the Gabonese people on Saturday, Nguema promised "a reinvented Gabon, in line with our ambitions... We will foster economic growth through the transformation of our raw materials." He expressed his intent to open up Gabon to foreign investors.
Serge Loungou, a political geography lecturer at Omar Bongo University, expressed cautious optimism towards Nguema's leadership, stating, "There is a 40% unemployment rate among young graduates, the economy is heavily oil-dependent, and there's a scarcity of infrastructure, including roads linking the regional provinces and basic services like adequate clean water supply for the population."
Gabon, home to a population of 2.3 million people, with a third residing in poverty despite the nation's vast oil wealth, will hold legislative and local elections in September.
(Sources: France 24, AP)
(Enrichment Data: Gabon's new president Brice Oligui Nguema has won the presidential election with a significant majority. In his inauguration speech, he promised a renewed focus on job creation, economic diversification, and education system reform to address the country's high unemployment rate, oil-dependent economy, and inadequate infrastructure.)
- In his inauguration speech, President Brice Oligui Nguema announced a commitment to combating joblessness, an oil-reliant economy, and inadequate infrastructure in Gabon, calling it a "reinvented Gabon."
- To foster economic growth, Nguema welcomed foreign investment and promised economic policy changes to transform raw materials.
- Amidst Gabon's challenges, including a high unemployment rate among young graduates and the need for better education, politics, general news, policy-and-legislation, and war-and-conflicts have become relevant discourses as Nguema works towards addressing these issues during his presidency.
