LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) 鈥� headed to polling stations on Saturday in a presidential election that the country鈥檚 military rulers hoped would legitimize their grip on power.
It鈥檚 the first election since a ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years. Analysts have predicted an overwhelming victory for the interim president who led the coup.
Some 920,000 voters, including over 28,000 overseas, are registered to participate across more than 3,000 polling stations. A third of the country鈥檚 2.3 million people live in poverty despite its vast oil wealth.
The interim president, Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, 50, toppled President Ali Bongo Ondimba nearly two years ago. He hopes to consolidate his grip on power for a seven-year term in office.
Bongo was placed under house arrest after the coup but freed a week later due to health concerns. His wife and son were detained and charged with corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Bongo himself was not charged.
Following the coup, Oligui Nguema promised to 鈥渞eturn power to civilians鈥� through 鈥渃redible elections鈥�. He has touted himself as a leader who wants to unify the Gabonese and give them hope, under the slogan: 鈥淲e Build Together.鈥�
In January, the parliament adopted a new contentious electoral code allowing military personnel to run in elections.
The country鈥檚 new constitution, , has also set the presidential term at seven years, renewable once, instead of the unlimited fiver-year term. It also states family members can鈥檛 succeed a president and has abolished the position of prime minister.
A challenger with an anti-colonial approach
A total of eight candidates are running for president. However, Oligui Nguema鈥檚 main challenger is Bongo鈥檚 former prime minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who has promised to reorganize public finances, create jobs for young people and 鈥渆nd the umbilical cord鈥� with former colonial ruler France.
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Bilie-By-Nze said he didn鈥檛 expect the election to be fair or transparent. 鈥淓verything has been done to lock down the vote,鈥� he said.
In a region where France is in many of its former colonies, Gabon stands out as one of only a few where that partnership has not been threatened. It still has more than 300 French troops present, one of only two African countries still hosting them.
Oligui Nguema has not signaled an end to the French military presence, but Bilie-By-Nze has said 鈥渘o subject is off limits鈥� in renegotiating the ties between the two countries.
Voters cast their ballots
Dozens of voters, from various age groups, lined up at ballot stations early Saturday in the capital city, Libreville, as voting progressed peacefully.
Jonas Obiang told the AP while waiting to cast his ballot in the working-class district of Damas that he would vote for Bilie-By-Nze because he viewed the 2023 coup as a continuation of the malpractice of the previous regime.
鈥淕eneral Oligui Nguema led the country with the same people who plundered the country, the former members of the Bongo regime. I will not vote for him,鈥� he said.
His views were echoed by Antoine Nkili, a 27-year-old unemployed man with a Master鈥檚 degree in law.
鈥淭he choice is personal, but I鈥檓 telling you that for me, the military has failed," Nkili said. 鈥淭hey promised to reform the institutions, but they haven鈥檛. Instead, they鈥檝e enriched themselves.鈥�
But Jean Bie, 57, who works in the construction sector, said the military rule has benefited the population.
鈥淚n 19 months, General Oligui Ngu茅ma has completed several projects expected of the former regime. I鈥檓 voting for him, hoping he鈥檒l do more over the next seven years,鈥� he said.
Monika Pronczuk And Yves Laurent Goma, The Associated Press
