WATCH: Ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo calls on the world to ‘make noise’
In a video going viral online, a visibly shaken ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo called on the world to ‘make noise’ regarding the military coup that took place in the country on August 30, 2023.
“I’m Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, and I’m to send a message to all friends that we have all over the world to tell them to make noise- to make noise. The people here have arrested me and my family. My son is somewhere, my wife is in another place and I’m at the residence. Right now, I’m at the residence, and…nothing happening. Nothing is happening. I don’t know what’s going on so I’m calling you to make noise, to make noise, to make noise really. I’m thanking you. Thank you,” said a defeated-looking President Bongo.
In the video, he sat in a low-back white wing chair in the middle of what appears to be a high office. His surrounding is filled with furnishings that speak of largesse. He was dressed in a monochrome blue traditional African print dress shirt paired with black slacks. His demeanor cut across as a defeated man who was wary of his impending fate as he called on friends of Gabon to make noise.
#Gabon: Ali Bongo depuis sa résidence pic.twitter.com/NMmvIbsbwe
— Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala (@StanysBujakera) August 30, 2023
In making noise, it is believed he is calling on friendly countries to help him restore his presidency and the government after several senior members of the military announced that a coup had taken place and they had overthrown President Bongo.
In prior Nairobi News reports, the coup occurred after the Gabonese Election Center declared Ali Bongo the President for a third term. However, his main opponent, runners-up Alberto Ondo Ossa, opposed the outcome, claiming the election had been an orchestrated fraud of electoral irregularities.
There were no international election observers at polling stations, some foreign media houses were suspended from covering the election, the internet service was cut , national borders were shut down and a night time nationwide curfew was announced.
According to the military coup leaders, President Bongo’s ousting was occasioned by the severe institutional, political, economic and social crisis under Ali Bongo’s leadership; and proceeded to nullify all the results from the election and dissolved the government.
The military also said they had placed President Bongo under house arrest while surrounded by his family and doctors; and his sons were arrested for treason. The sons and the President’s advisers were accused of forging the President’s signature, corruption and embezzlement among other allegations.
Also read: Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Gabon….the season of military coups
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