Deposed Gabon’s leader, Ali Bongo, released from house arrest, departs for Angola

Angolan President João Lourenço has confirmed that former Gabonese President Ali Bongo and his family are no longer confined to their residence and have travelled to Luanda.

The Angolan Presidency shared the news in a Facebook post.

“Following the demonstrations made by the President of the Republic of Angola and the President-in-Charge of the African Union, João Lourenço, together with President Brice Oligui Nguema of Gabon, the Bongo family has been released and has just arrived in Luanda,” the statement read.

Bongo had been under house arrest since a military junta deposed him in August 2023, weeks after he was declared the winner of highly criticised elections that would have extended his 14-year rule.

In September 2023, the military government announced that Ali Bongo was free to “travel abroad for medical checkups.”

“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic, Ali Bongo Ondimba, is free to move about. He may, if he wishes, travel abroad for medical checkups,” the Gabonese junta leadership stated.

It was earlier reported in August 2023 that a group of Gabonese soldiers announced the annulment of the election results and declared that “all the institutions of the Republic” had been dissolved. They subsequently placed Bongo and his family under house arrest.

“Today, 30 August 2023, we — the defence and security forces, gathered as the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) on behalf of the people of Gabon and as guarantors of the institutions’ protection — have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the junta announced.

“To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled. The borders are closed until further notice. All the institutions of the Republic are dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, and the Gabonese Elections Centre.”

“We call for calm and serenity from the public, the communities of sister countries settled in Gabon, and the Gabonese diaspora. We reaffirm our commitment to respecting Gabon’s commitments to the national and international community. People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness,” the junta added.

On April 30, the African Union’s Peace and Security Council lifted its suspension of Gabon, which had been imposed following the coup.
The council called for the immediate release of the Bongo family and guarantees for their rights and health.