In Gabon, the curfew is reinforced for the referendum on the new Constitution

The curfew imposed in Gabon since the coup d’état that brought General Brice Oligui Nguema to power was reinforced on Saturday, November 16, so that the referendum on the new Constitution “ “It takes place in a climate of tranquility and peace”according to a decree read on public television.

“The curfew schedule is rearranged from 24 hours to 5 hours during the entire period of the electoral process” – two hours before the current curfew that begins at 2 in the morning –, according to this decree.

The announcement was made during the special program on public television Gabon 24 dedicated to the day of voting on the draft new Constitution. It has not been specified whether the strengthening period extends until the publication of the provisional results or the definitive proclamation of the Constitutional Court.

A tense political climate

Those who oppose the draft Constitution denounce a text tailored to the new strong man in power, its supporters say that we must move forward by voting yes.

The country’s 2,835 polling stations must remain open until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, before the recount and centralization of the results in the Ministry of the Interior, responsible for supervising the process.

The Interior Ministry said the provisional results of the vote would be made public. “as quickly as possible”without wanting to give any indication of day or time.

If the Constitution is adopted, the next step will be the holding of presidential elections, currently scheduled for August 2025, to definitively put an end to the transition born of the coup d’état that ended fifty-five years of rule by the Bongo dynasty.

General Oligui promised to return power to civilians at the end of the transition, but he does not hide his presidential ambitions by also promising a “ascent to blessedness” to this oil-rich and heavily indebted country.

One hour after the proclamation of Ali Bongo’s re-election for a third term, on August 30, 2023, a military junta convened by the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions appeared on television to proclaim the “End of the Bongo regime”with accusations of electoral fraud and embezzlement of public funds.