Gabon's Brice Oligui Nguema, whose coup ended 55 years of Bongo family rule, took oath as president before a packed stadium and more than a dozen African leaders on Saturday, May 3. The former junta leader, who swept polls last month with nearly 95% of the vote, was sworn in for a seven-year term, putting an end to 19 months of military rule since he toppled Ali Bongo in August 2023.
Sixteen African heads of state had arrived for the inauguration ceremony at a stadium north of the capital Libreville, while supporters decked out in T-shirts and flags bearing Oligui's likeness packed out the 40,000-capacity venue. To the cheers of the crowd Oligui entered the stadium on the back of white, open-roof car at around 1:30 pm, having eschewed his general's uniform in favor of a dark civilian suit with a red sash across his chest.
Leaders in attendance included Gambia's Adama Barrow, Senegal's Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo from Equatorial Guinea.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi likewise made his entrance around midday, followed shortly by Rwanda's Paul Kagame. Kigali and Kinshasa are currently in talks to end the fighting in the eastern DRC.
Tickets were free to attend the ceremony at the Angondje stadium, and spectators wearing t-shirts and flags bearing the president's image, waited much of the day in a festive atmosphere to enter the facility. It marks the first time the country holds a swearing-in ceremony in front of such a large audience.
Challenges ahead
From the morning the roads of the capital Libreville and around the Angondje stadium were clogged with traffic. In the lead-up, hundreds of workers had been painstakingly cleaning and repainting areas around the main roads leading to the stadium.
Authorities and official media have called for people to be public-spirited in view of the influx of foreign guests. "All citizens of Greater Libreville are asked to extend a warm welcome to these distinguished guests," the interior ministry said in a statement. It called on residents near the stadium to "take part in cleaning and beautifying" the area.
Before a full return to constitutional order, Gabon still has to set up legislative elections, expected before the end of the summer.
Oligui, 50, faces serious challenges in leading the oil-rich country, which needs to revamp crucial infrastructure and diversify its economy but is heavily indebted. Among the main concerns are an aging electricity network which suffers frequent power cuts, youth unemployment that hovers at 40%, poor or lacking roads, and a ballooning public debt, forecast to hit 80% of GDP this year.
During the transition, Oligui portrayed himself as a "builder," launching numerous construction projects, while vowing to "crack down" on corruption to get the country back on track.