Military officers in Gabon declared their takeover of the African country on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, via a televised statement that has since gone viral online.
As expected, incumbent President Ali Bongo of Gabon won a third term, extending the Bongo family’s half-century of control over the oil-rich Central African country of 2.3 million. The declaration occurred within minutes after the election commission of Gabon announced the result of the election.
If this coup succeeds, it will be the tenth in West and Central Africa since 2017.
Tru News Report highlights the history of recent coups in Africa.
SUDAN
The Sudanese Armed Forces staged a coup d’état against President Omar al-Bashir on April 11, 2019, late in the afternoon, after days of protests calling for his removal. During that period, a military coup led by Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf ousted the country’s elected leaders and legislature and declared a three-month state of emergency. Then there was a transitional period of two years before a deal was finally made.
SUDAN
On October 25, 2021, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Sudanese military overthrew the government of Sudan in a coup d’état. Five or more high-ranking government officials were first detained.
MALI
Some members of the Malian Armed Forces staged a mutiny and subsequent coup d’état on August 18, 2020. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keta, who was among those jailed, resigned and dissolved the government. This was the country’s second coup in less than ten years, following the one in 2012.
On the evening of May 24, 2021, the Malian Army, led by Vice President Assimi Gota, overthrew the government and arrested President Bah N’daw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, and Minister of Defence Souleymane Doucouré in a coup d’état. This was the country’s third coup d’état in 10 years, after the military took over in 2012 and 2020. The last one happened just nine months before this one.
TUNISIAN
On July 25, 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied staged a self-coup, dismissing Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and suspending the Assembly of Representatives of the People while stripping its members of immunity. This “self-coup” occurred after months of political chaos, with anti-Ennahda uprisings and the collapse of the Tunisian healthcare system during the COVID-19 epidemic being the most significant incidents.
CHAD
After President Idriss Deby was murdered in April 2021 while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north, the Chadian armed forces seized power. According to Chadian law, the speaker of parliament is supposed to take over as president. However, a military council intervened and dissolved parliament for the sake of maintaining peace and order.
General Mahamat Idriss Deby, Deby’s son, was appointed temporary president and given charge of the country until elections could be held 18 months later. Riots broke out in N’Djamena, the capital, after the unlawful transfer of power and were suppressed by the military.
GUINEA
On September 5, 2021, the military of Guinea staged a coup d’état and arrested the country’s president, Alpha Condé. Mamady Doumbouya, chief of the special forces, made an appearance on state television to announce the fall of the government and the constitution.
BURKINA FASO
In January 2022, a coup d’état took place in Burkina Faso on January 23, 2022. The military announced on television that they had deposed President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on January 24.
In the month of September 2022, The interim president of Burkina Faso, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, was deposed in a coup d’état on September 30, 2022, for allegedly mishandling the country’s Islamist insurgency. Damiba had taken control only eight months before the start of a coup. Acting Captain Ibrahim Traoré took control.
NIGER
The presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum during a coup d’état that took place in the Republic of Niger on July 26, 2023. General Abdourahamane Tchiani, commander of the presidential guard, took power shortly after the coup was declared successful.
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