Libreville - Military officers in Gabon
staged an apparent coup early Monday morning, seizing the state
radio station and declaring their
dissatisfaction with President Ali Bongo, who is recovering from
a stroke in Morocco.
A New Year's Eve address by Bongo "reinforced doubts about
the president's ability to continue to carry out of the
responsibilities of his office," said Lieutenant Kelly Ondo
Obiang, the leader of the self-declared Patriotic Movement of
the Defence and Security Forces of Gabon.
The radio message was broadcast at around 4:30 a.m. local
time (0530 GMT). A source close to the government said there
were gunshots around the national television station, but that
the plotters appeared to be a small group of soldiers.
A spokesman for the presidency told Reuters he would make a
statement shortly.
Bongo, 59, was hospitalised in October in Saudi Arabia after
suffering a stroke. He has been in Morocco since November to
continue treatment.
In his speech on New Year's, Bongo acknowledged health
problems but said he was recovering. He slurred some of his
words and did not move his right arm, but otherwise appeared in
decent health.
The Bongo family has ruled the oil-producing country for
nearly half a century. Bongo has been president since succeeding
his father, Omar, who died in 2009. His re-election in 2016 was
marred by claims of fraud and violent protest.