Libreville, Gabon | AFP | The head of Gabon’s top court, which has the pivotal task of ruling if President Ali Bongo’s contested re-election is valid, is a former beauty queen whose affair with the leader’s father produced two children. Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo is in the limelight in this oil-rich Central …
Read More »‘I haven’t used violence’: Gabon leader Bongo
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon’s President Ali Bongo said Friday that he had not used or encouraged the violence which erupted in his country after he won re-election last month by a wafer-thin margin. “I have not employed or triggered the violence,” Bongo said in an interview with AFP, …
Read More »Gabon’s Ping goes to court over poll defeat
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping on Thursday appealed to the country’s highest court Thursday in an attempt to have a wafer-thin presidential election loss overturned. Ping insists he was the winner of the August 27 presidential election — which gave incumbent Ali Bongo a narrow …
Read More »Tension as EU observers report ‘anomaly’ in Gabon vote
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Pressure mounted on President Ali Bongo of Gabon on Tuesday over a disputed election win after EU observers reported a “clear anomaly” in the vote and former colonial power France and his ex-justice minister urged a recount. Bongo claimed victory in the August 27 poll …
Read More »Work goes on after Gabon’s Ping calls for strike to ‘topple tyrant’ president
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon’s failed presidential candidate Jean Ping on Monday called for a general strike after days of violence following incumbent Ali Bongo’s disputed re-election, saying an economic blockage would “topple the tyrant.” But the centre of the capital Libreville was its usual bustling self on Monday, …
Read More »Drama as Africa Cup finals line-up completed
List of qualifiers for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon: Tunisia (Group A winners) Democratic Republic of Congo (Group B winners) Mali (Group C winners) Burkina Faso (Group D winners) Guinea-Bissau (Group E winners) Morocco (Group F winners) Egypt (Group G winners) Ghana (Group H winners) Ivory Coast …
Read More »“I am the president” says Gabon’s Ping
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping on Friday declared himself the rightful president and called for a vote recount, days after incumbent Ali Bongo was declared the winner of a weekend election which has sparked deadly violence. “I am the president,” Ping told a press …
Read More »Gabon’s Bongo stands firm after riots greet his re-election
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | President Ali Bongo of Gabon poured scorn Thursday on opposition supporters who rioted overnight after he was declared the winner of a weekend election his main rival said was rigged. Three people were killed in the unrest and around 1,000 arrested, the interior minister said. …
Read More »Gabon Cup of Nations to go ahead despite riots – CAF
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | The African Cup of Nations continental football finals will go ahead as scheduled in Gabon despite the wave of riots following president Ali Bongo’s re-election, African football authorities confirmed on Thursday. “There will be no change, we are following proceedings closely,” African football confederation media …
Read More »EU calls for calm as Gabon descends into ‘deep crisis’
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called for all sides in Gabon to reject violence as the country descends into chaos following presidential elections. “The official announcement of results has plunged Gabon into a deep crisis,” Mogherini said in a statement. “It is important for …
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