As confirmed on Monday by the Centre of Elections in Gabon (CGE), a total of 27 individuals have declared their intentions to stand in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 26 August. While Michel Stéphane Bonda, President of the CGE, refrained from releasing the candidates’ names, he indicated that 20 of the 27 applications have been approved, leaving 7 pending further review.
The CGE plans to reveal the list of candidates on 26 July. Ali Bongo, the incumbent leader who has held office since 2009, is among those seeking another term, with expectations that he will face a challenge from 26 other candidates.
Bongo, who confirmed his candidacy on 9 July, vowed to exceed his previous 14-year tenure’s achievements. However, his ability to effectively lead the country has been questioned by the opposition, given his 2018 stroke and prolonged absence from public life for recovery.
The forthcoming presidential poll will take place alongside legislative and local elections. The deadline for candidacy submissions expired last Sunday at 5 pm local time.
Key challengers to Bongo’s third term include two major rivals: Paulette Missambo, the leader of the opposition party Union Nationale (UN), and Alexandre Barro Chambrier, the head of the Rassemblement pour la patrie et la modernité (RPM). Notably, Bongo’s uncle, Jean Boniface Assélé, has also announced his decision to run against his nephew.
In addition to the presidential elections, thousands of hopefuls, including current government members, have applied for the simultaneous legislative and local elections.
As stipulated by the electoral code, the CGE must release the approved candidate list for all these elections a month before voting day, meaning the roster should be announced no later than 26 July.
Despite being one of Africa’s most prosperous nations, with considerable petroleum, timber and manganese production, Gabon’s wealth has not been effectively transformed into sustainable and inclusive growth. With a relatively low population of 2.3 million people, Gabon is among the top petroleum producers in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 38.5% of its GDP and 70.5% of its export revenue.
Nevertheless, the Gabonese government has been unsuccessful in diversifying its revenue streams, heavily relying on its fossil fuel industry. As a result, a third of the country’s population live below the poverty line, the World Bank reported in 2022.
