Gabon’s Oligui takes oath as president

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Akanda, Gabon | AFP

Gabon's Brice Oligui Nguema, whose coup ended 55 years of Bongo family rule, took oath as president before a packed stadium and more than a dozen African leaders on Saturday.

The former junta leader, who swept polls last month with nearly 95 per cent of the vote, was sworn in for a seven-year term, putting an end to 19 months of military rule since he toppled Ali Bongo in August 2023.

(FILES) A general view of a newly inaugurated monument topped with the shape of Africa at the Adwa Victory Memorial museum in the historical Piazza neighbourhood of Addis Ababa on February 15, 2024, as the city prepares to host the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union. The African Union has lifted sanctions against Gabon, it said in a statement on April 30, 2025, after the central African nation was suspended from the organisation following a coup in August 2023. (AFP)

Sixteen African heads of state had arrived for the inauguration ceremony at a stadium north of the capital, Libreville, while supporters decked out in T-shirts and flags bearing Oligui's likeness packed out the 40,000-capacity venue.

To the cheers of the crowd, Oligui entered the stadium on the back of the white, open-roof car at around 1:30 pm (1230 GMT), having eschewed his general's uniform in favour of a dark civilian suit with a red sash across his chest.

Leaders in attendance included Gambia's Adama Barrow, Senegal's Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo from Equatorial Guinea.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi likewise made his entrance around midday, followed shortly by Rwanda's Paul Kagame.

Kigali and Kinshasa are currently in talks to end the fighting in the eastern DRC.

Tickets were free to attend the investiture at the Angondje stadium, and spectators wearing t-shirts and flags bearing the president's image waited much of the day in a festive atmosphere to enter the facility.

It marks the first time the country holds a swearing-in ceremony in front of such a large audience.

Challenges ahead

From the morning, the roads of the capital, Libreville and around the Angondje stadium were clogged with traffic, AFP journalists saw.

In the lead-up, hundreds of workers had been painstakingly cleaning and repainting areas around the main roads leading to the stadium.

Authorities and official media have called for people to be public-spirited in view of the influx of foreign guests.

"All citizens of Greater Libreville are asked to extend a warm welcome to these distinguished guests," the interior ministry said in a statement.

It called on residents near the stadium to "take part in cleaning and beautifying" the area.

Before a full return to constitutional order, Gabon still has to set up legislative elections, expected before the end of the summer.

Oligui, 50, faces serious challenges in leading the oil-rich country, which needs to revamp crucial infrastructure and diversify its economy, but is heavily indebted.

Among the main concerns are an ageing electricity network, which suffers frequent power cuts, youth unemployment that hovers at 40 per cent, poor or lacking roads and a ballooning public debt, forecast to hit 80 per cent of GDP this year.

During the transition, Oligui portrayed himself as a "builder", launching numerous construction projects, while vowing to "crack down" on corruption to get the country back on track.