The re-elected President of Gabon, Ali Mbongo was at the bedside of more than 100 elements of the defense and security forces wounded during the three days of demonstrations that followed the announcement of the results of the August 27 presidential election.

Indeed, in his first official release, Ali Bongo Ondimba noted that “We have more than 100 injured in the military hospital. These are brave men who performed their job of protecting the population and the Republic. Some were shot, others were stabbed. Nothing can justify such violence, nothing.”

The president also praised their professionalism. “I came to encourage those men who have acted with great flexibility and did not respond to provocations which our forces are under every day. If not for their maturity, the outcome would have been catastrophic,” said Ali Bongo.

Bongo added that “We are all Gabonese and we all work for the good of our country.  Nothing should oppose the return to calm and peace.  If we want to build a state of law, a democratic state and rule of law regardless of the challenge there are legal remedies other than what happened, and that we should see more. “

While the situation seems finally to have been abated, given that calm has returned to Libreville, it remains to be seen whether the losing side will appeal before the Constitutional Court.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai