Gabon's transitional President Nguema visits Museveni

Gabonese transitional President Gen Brice Oligui Nguema on Thursday started a 2-day visit to President Museveni, almost one year after he toppled the Bongo dynasty in a post-election bloodless coup.

On August 30, 2023, the junta seized power in Gabon as Gen Nguema led forces that overthrew his cousin Ali Bongo Ondimba, ending a close to 56-yearlong family rule.

A joint statement by Gabon and Uganda indicated that 49-year-old Gen Nguema’s Thursday visit was at Museveni’s invitation.

Gabon's military leaders plan a return to civilian rule with a general election scheduled for August 2025, following international pressure to restore democracy in the oil-rich central African nation of more than 2.3million people.

Under Gen Nguema, national dialogue is moving government towards presenting a new constitution in October, which will be adopted by Gabon through a referendum due by the end of 2024.

“Gen Nguema updated me on the progress of the transition timetable, including the upcoming referendum. I thank him for the steps taken by the transitional government towards Gabon’s return to constitutional democracy,” Museveni said.

Museveni, who also led a coup to capture power in 1986, also pledged to “continue collaborating with Gabon at regional, continental, and international levels.”

“We discussed and agreed on the efforts towards enhancing bilateral cooperation between our two countries. We are committed to boosting and broadening cooperation and collaboration in various sectors,” he said.

He added: “H.E Nguema expressed his country's desire to end dependence on food imports and hoped to benefit from Uganda's experience in its agricultural development program, with particular interest in wealth creation.”

Gen Nguema was inaugurated as Gabon's interim president in Libreville on September 4, 2023.

On Thursday, he also encouraged Museveni to pay visit to post-Bongo Gabon at a date to be agreed upon by Kampala and Libreville.

Putschists deposed Ali Bongo within 24 hours after the country’s electoral body proclaimed him winner of a presidential election, which the army and opposition rejected as "fraudulent."

He had been president since 2009 after replacing his father Omar Bongo, who had ruled Gabon since 1967. 

Ali Bongo, his eldest son Noureddin Bongo Valentin and former first lady Sylvia Bongo started facing prosecution in 2023 over corruption related charges.