Gabon bows to the men on khakis. We condemn this coup just like others in Africa. The lesson here is clear: politicians MUST not rig elections, because an election rigging is a coup, with pencils and papers, and could be as devastating as using guns!
According to BBC, it does seem like Saturday’s election, in which President Ali Bongo was declared the winner, may not have been free and fair.
And the revelation: in all these coups, the citizens jubilate because for most, whether it is democracy or military rule, humans are humans, and if the quality of life is not improved under democracy, it loses the core meaning. And this does imply that politicians must put efforts to improve societies through better governance to ensure the people are with them.
We reject coups and we call the boys to return to barracks. A new election could be organized. Africa is now in a severe crisis and its destiny looks foggy.
Twelve soldiers appeared on television early on Wednesday morning, announcing they were cancelling the results of the election and dissolving “all the institutions of the republic”.
They added that the country’s borders had been closed “until further notice”.
If confirmed, this would be the eighth coup in former French colonies in Africa in the past three years.
However, most of the others have been further north, in the Sahel region where an Islamist insurgency has led to rising complaints that the democratically elected governments were failing to protect the civilian populations.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said her country was following the situation closely, while the European Union’s foreign policy chief said a military takeover would increase instability in Africa.
“This is a big issue for Europe,” said Josep Borrell.
Meanwhile, French mining group Eramet, which employs thousands of people in Gabon, said it had stopped all work in the country for security reasons.
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Comment 1: Definitely not the way forward, but this is what happens when the way forward is leading backwards as hypothesized and proven by African leaders.
Comment 2: In one of your posts on coups, I posed the question: are the military not people too?
It is only in countries where the military cadre has joined in the rape and subjugation of the will of the masses will they stand akimbo and let illegitimate governments rule because they’ll participate in the loot.
“The military are people too.”
Comment 3: Condemnations will rain in from different directions as usual, not addressing the real issues.
In truth, slave trade never ended in Africa, it was largely reformed. The African ruling class are slave traders, and their trading partners are still the same. They represent the interests of their colonial masters and not the people they purport to rule!
If you weaponise poverty and ignorance against a people, no matter how long it takes, a generation will rise up against their oppressors and demand their freedom!
We can keep condemning the men in Khaki, but the real criminals are the ones in Agbadas backed by their colonial masters.
Comment 4: You told the people that democracy gives them the opportunity to choose their leaders, and they believed. The process of choosing leaders is called election, but each time the people gather to make that choice, you either shift the goalposts or stop them entirely. So, what should the people do? Wailing and complaining don’t bring change, actions do.
The people preaching democracy are incapable of conducting decent elections, and there can be no democracy without elections. This thing is not meant to be hard or complicated, but we have proven over and over that we cannot conduct elections according the stated and agreed terms.
There’s no guarantee that the military can perform better, but politicians have consistently proved one thing: that they are utterly irresponsible. This is why the rejected keep claiming that they want to serve, and that the people want them, without proof of course.
The first question to answer is, why is conducting a credible and transparent election so difficult?
The second question to answer is, why is political governance so difficult, given that the politicians campaign on certain things and get elected to do those things?
Our honest and robust answers to these two questions will set the stage.
Comment 5: Prof …. Africans want a better life . They don’t care about your democracy. They care about good governance. They are tired of travelling through the desert for a better life . They deserve a good life.
I SUPPORT THE COUP 100% …. But for this Gabon coup I am still observing. If a coup is meant to continue to be subdued under the French rule , I disagree but if it is to put France out , I support .
Comment 6: Thank you for sharing Prof.!
Coup is never an option!
It is important that as our leaders condemn coup, they should also address the root cause – election rigging.
As they kick-against the negative end-results, they should also do the needful to ensure a free, fair, and transparent PROCESS.
Comment 7: o you believe that the unemployment rate in Nigeria is now 4.10% with millions of people still unemployed? Now, the politicians are busy dancing to these statistics implying they have done well in office in less than a few months since they assumed office which is very untrue. Honestly, I started praying for a military coup in Nigeria immediately. The lies, betrayals and dishonesty are becoming unbearable. If the military is the solution so be it, at least all of us will be calculated in the unemployment statistics which they claimed…
Comment 8: I like the part of your post that states ‘ The lesson is clear: politicians MUST not rig elections, because an election rigging is a coup, with pencils and papers, and could be as devastating as using guns’. However, I do not subscribe to organizing new elections because election comes with huge costs usually in billions of naira which could be used to fix others issues plaguing the nations. I would rather propose that as the military seize the power, they should work out how to transfer the power to the candidate the citizens voted for. I guess this is not a rocket science. The coup will definitely continue across Africa until the politicians stop imposing themselves on the citizens. Which country is the next?? I stand for true democracy where the rule of law prevails at all times.
Comment 8: The people of Africa are happy! The politicians have embarrassed Africa and ridiculed her people for decades. May be, let there be a reset on the continent.
Comment 9: Another devastating blow to the efforts of good people in the continent of Africa. It is unfortunate that politicians have refused to read the room and understand that the people are sick and tired of their rigmaroles across the continent with nothing to show for it.
Africa is so blessed, but yet so badly governed and there comes a time they’ll be push backs just like the Arab revolution. These are human beings and not animals that you’re dealing with. Until everyone respects the constitution and abides by the rules of their elections this will keep happening.
