Former Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, ousted during a military coup in 2023, has fled to Angola along with his family, following their recent release from detention. The news was confirmed by the Angolan presidency, which stated that the Bongo family had arrived in Luanda after being freed from a two-year imprisonment they faced in Gabon.
During his presidency, which lasted 14 years, Ali Bongo faced significant criticism, including allegations of embezzlement and corruption that marred his family’s legacy. His wife, Sylvia Bongo, and their son, Noureddin, both faced serious corruption charges, including money laundering and forgery. Their detention was marked by claims from their lawyer, François Zimeray, that they were subjected to inhumane conditions, including accusations of torture while held in underground cells. Following a request from their legal counsel, they were released due to health concerns, although legal proceedings against them are reportedly still underway.
The Bongo family’s departure was facilitated by an apparent diplomatic engagement, following talks between Angola’s President João Lourenço—also the current head of the African Union—and Gabon’s new leader, Brice Oligui Nguema, who led the coup that resulted in Bongo’s ousting. The discussions may suggest a softening of relations between the two nations, with Nguema reportedly bowing to international pressure to release the Bongo family.
Ali Bongo’s tenure followed that of his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon for over four decades. Despite the nation’s oil wealth, poverty remains a pressing issue, with nearly a third of the Gabonese population living below the poverty line, as highlighted by the United Nations. This socio-economic backdrop has fueled public dissent against the Bongo family, often seen as having enriched themselves amid widespread hardship.
Following the coup and a subsequent election where Nguema won decisively, Gabon was re-admitted to the African Union after its membership was suspended due to the military takeover. Observers view this newfound diplomatic engagement as a potential step towards stabilizing the region, contrasting sharply with military regimes in neighboring West African countries that have resisted returning power to civilian rule.
As the Bongo family begins a new chapter in Angola, the implications of their ouster and the events leading to it continue to reverberate throughout Gabon and beyond, raising questions about the future of governance and democracy in the region.
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