Gabon - 2016 Election
Upwards of half a million voters went to the polls 03 September 2016 to pick their next president in a one-round election. Eleven candidates were running, including incumbent president Ali Bongo, the son of Omar Bongo, who ruled the Central African nation for over four decades, and opposition leader Jean Ping, a former ally of the elder Bongo. Gabon does not have a run-off system, so the candidate with the most votes in the 10-candidate field wins the election. The results may hinge on popular discontent over the state of the Gabonese economy, which relies heavily on oil revenue and has been deeply affected by the drop of oil prices in recent years.
Bongo was seeking a second seven-year term in office. He took power in 2009, after the death of his father. Ping was running to end a near half-century of Bongo family rule. Jean Ping, 73, a former African Union Commission chairman, is the son of a Chinese immigrant. Ping is a former ally of Bongo’s father. He was a minister in Omar Bongo’s governments and even married his daughter. He switched over to the opposition in 2014.
Official results showed Bongo with 49.8 percent of the vote and challenger Ping with 48.2 percent. Ping disputed the official election results that showed him losing by about 5,000 votes to Bongo. He said his campaign had evidence the election was rigged and plans to present it to Gabon's constitutional court. At issue were the results from one province where the results showed nearly 100 percent voter turnout, with Bongo receiving 95 percent of the votes.
Protests erupted in Gabon following the announcement on 31 August 2016 of Bongo’s re-election. Bongo had narrowly defeated his challenger Jean Ping in a nationwide vote. Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said more than 1,000 people have been arrested nationwide, including as many as 800 in the capital. He confirmed three deaths in the violence.
Buildings throughout downtown Libreville, including the National Assembly, were set ablaze. There were also attempts to set fire to City Hall, the broadcasting house, a state newspaper’s headquarters and various residences. The city hall in Gabon’s second largest city and major seaport, Port-Gentil, was burned down. Most of the protesters were young men in their 20s, but it was unclear whether people who have taken to the streets were making a political statement or simply taking advantage of the situation. Whenever there is a political crisis, people would go outside and begin looting whatever is out there.
The US Embassy stated that voters were not well served by the many systemic flaws and irregularities that we witnessed. The late openings of many polling stations, delayed arrival of polling officials and party representatives, last minute changes to voting procedures, and poor understanding of existing rules, regulations and procedures contributed to confusion at many polling places.
Gabon's constitutional court upheld the victory of Ali Bongo in the presidential elections. The court said 24 September 2016 that Bongo had the lead over his rival Jean Ping in the elections but the ballots could not be re-counted in full as they were burned after counting at the polling stations. The constitutional court stressed that the opposition and Ping would be held responsible for any clashes that might erupt after its ruling.
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