Gabon will hold its first presidential election since the 2023 military coup
DAKAR, Senegal — The oil-rich central African nation of Gabon on Saturday will hold its first presidential election since a 2023 military coup ended a political dynasty which lasted over 50 years.
The interim president, Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, led the coup that toppled President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who many Gabonese accused of irresponsible governance .
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a day ago
- Yahoo
Police surround home of presidential hopeful in Cameroon
Cameroon's main opposition leader Maurice Kamto says police have surrounded his home for the past two days since he returned from France, where he had held a political rally that inflamed the ruling CPDM party. On Sunday law enforcement officers blocked the 71-year-old from leaving his lodgings in the main city of Douala for a meeting with members of his Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party. He later called off plans to hold the meeting on Monday because of the strong police presence. Kamto plans to contest Cameroon's presidential election later this year, hoping to end 92-year-old Paul Biya's four-decade grip on power. Biya has not yet declared whether he will stand for re-election. Kamto spent nine months in detention after contesting the 2018 poll, when the authorities accused the former law professor of insurrection following protests by his supporters who claimed that the poll had been rigged in favour of Biya. The government denied the allegation. While in Paris last month, Kamto promised to protect Biya and his family if he wins October's election. "When you do me the great of honour of entrusting me with the reins, you can be sure that nothing will happen to Mr Biya and his family. Nothing. I guarantee it, I have no time for hatred. I [only] have time to build Cameroon with you," he told thousands of Cameroonians living in the diaspora who had turned up to his rally on 31 May. This did not go down well with ruling party officials, with one calling his comments "pathetic". "What protection do they need? Which family are we talking about?," asked Labour Minister Grégoire Owona in a Facebook post, adding, "Cameroon is not in danger." Following Kamto's return, security has been tightened in parts of Douala. Police officers on the ground told the BBC on Monday that they had been instructed to watch the neighbourhood where Kamto was staying, and the media was not allowed to film. Footage filmed in the city on Sunday evening showed Kamto telling supporters "as I speak, I'm still sequestered". "Go home in calm and dignity," he told chanting supporters who had gathered at the scene. Police and gendarme officers had also restricted access to the CRM party building that Kamto was trying to reach, saying the meeting was not authorised. But Kamto denies this, saying local authorities and law enforcement officials were informed that he was coming to the city for a meeting. As the election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government's crackdown on dissent in the Central African nation. Parliamentary elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until 2026. Biya has been in power for 42 years and is one of the world's oldest heads of state. Last year the country banned reports on the president's health, following rumours that he had died. Kamto's eligibility to run for the presidency is in question, because Cameroonian law demands that any political party must already have elected representatives in place if its leader wishes to run for president. At the last presidential election Kamto's CRM party had one senator, but going into this election it has no elected officials. Alternatively Kamto could run as an independent candidate, for which he would need 300 signatures from designated personalities from across the country. Yet Kamto insists there is "no legal obstacle" stopping his bid for the presidency, and CRM representative Guy Tassé told the AFP news agency that there was "a political manoeuvre by the regime to try to block the candidate they fear because he embodies real change". The country is also in the throes of a separatist insurgency - with rebels demanding independence for Cameroon's two English-speaking provinces, which are home to 20% of the population. In the near-decade since the conflict began, at least 6,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes. 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers Art curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of career The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights Paul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Police surround home of presidential hopeful in Cameroon
Cameroon's main opposition leader Maurice Kamto says police have surrounded his home for the past two days since he returned from France, where he had held a political rally that inflamed the ruling CPDM party. On Sunday law enforcement officers blocked the 71-year-old from leaving his lodgings in the main city of Douala for a meeting with members of his Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party. He later called off plans to hold the meeting on Monday because of the strong police presence. Kamto plans to contest Cameroon's presidential election later this year, hoping to end 92-year-old Paul Biya's four-decade grip on power. Biya has not yet declared whether he will stand for re-election. Kamto spent nine months in detention after contesting the 2018 poll, when the authorities accused the former law professor of insurrection following protests by his supporters who claimed that the poll had been rigged in favour of Biya. The government denied the allegation. While in Paris last month, Kamto promised to protect Biya and his family if he wins October's election. "When you do me the great of honour of entrusting me with the reins, you can be sure that nothing will happen to Mr Biya and his family. Nothing. I guarantee it, I have no time for hatred. I [only] have time to build Cameroon with you," he told thousands of Cameroonians living in the diaspora who had turned up to his rally on 31 May. This did not go down well with ruling party officials, with one calling his comments "pathetic". "What protection do they need? Which family are we talking about?," asked Labour Minister Grégoire Owona in a Facebook post, adding, "Cameroon is not in danger." Following Kamto's return, security has been tightened in parts of Douala. Police officers on the ground told the BBC on Monday that they had been instructed to watch the neighbourhood where Kamto was staying, and the media was not allowed to film. Footage filmed in the city on Sunday evening showed Kamto telling supporters "as I speak, I'm still sequestered". "Go home in calm and dignity," he told chanting supporters who had gathered at the scene. Police and gendarme officers had also restricted access to the CRM party building that Kamto was trying to reach, saying the meeting was not authorised. But Kamto denies this, saying local authorities and law enforcement officials were informed that he was coming to the city for a meeting. As the election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government's crackdown on dissent in the Central African nation. Parliamentary elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until 2026. Biya has been in power for 42 years and is one of the world's oldest heads of state. Last year the country banned reports on the president's health, following rumours that he had died. Kamto's eligibility to run for the presidency is in question, because Cameroonian law demands that any political party must already have elected representatives in place if its leader wishes to run for president. At the last presidential election Kamto's CRM party had one senator, but going into this election it has no elected officials. Alternatively Kamto could run as an independent candidate, for which he would need 300 signatures from designated personalities from across the country. Yet Kamto insists there is "no legal obstacle" stopping his bid for the presidency, and CRM representative Guy Tassé told the AFP news agency that there was "a political manoeuvre by the regime to try to block the candidate they fear because he embodies real change". The country is also in the throes of a separatist insurgency - with rebels demanding independence for Cameroon's two English-speaking provinces, which are home to 20% of the population. In the near-decade since the conflict began, at least 6,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes. 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers Art curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of career The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights Paul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business Insider
Chad responds to U.S. travel ban, suspends visas for American citizens
The government of Chad has announced the suspension of all visa issuance to American citizens, in a retaliatory move against the United States' decision to bar Chadian nationals from entering the country. The government of Chad has suspended visa issuance for American citizens in response to the U.S.' travel restrictions on Chadian nationals. President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno called the U.S.' travel ban unjust and declared the suspension a matter of national pride and reciprocity. The African Union criticized the U.S. travel ban, and Chad's response may inspire similar actions from other affected nations. Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno described U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban as unjust and discriminatory, stating that Chad was compelled to respond in kind by introducing reciprocal visa restrictions on U.S. citizens. He framed the move as one of 'reciprocity' and a matter of national pride. In a statement posted on his official Facebook page (in French), President Déby declared: ' I instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the issuance of visas to citizens of the United States of America.' 'Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has his dignity and pride.' The suspension reflects mounting frustration in the Central African nation over what it perceives as an arbitrary policy that unfairly targets Chadian citizens. While the practical impact on U.S. travelers may be limited, the symbolic weight of the decision signals a broader assertion of sovereignty and a demand for mutual respect in bilateral relations. US travel ban hits seven African nations The recent U.S. travel ban targets citizens from 12 countries, seven of them African, sparking criticism over its fairness and perceived political motivations. Among the African nations affected are Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia. In addition, a partial ban has been imposed on citizens from another group of countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—limiting entry under specific visa categories, particularly those related to temporary employment. Chad's swift and unequivocal response stands out as one of the most direct diplomatic pushbacks from the African continent. The country's suspension of visa issuance to American citizens signals rising frustration and could strain relations with Washington, especially in the area of regional counterterrorism cooperation, where Chad plays a pivotal role. While analysts note that the suspension is unlikely to significantly disrupt travel—given the relatively low number of U.S. visitors to Chad, the symbolic weight of the move is considerable. The African Union has also issued a formal statement rejecting President Donald Trump's decision to impose such sweeping restrictions on African countries.
