Gabon's transitional president receives draft of new constitution to

Gabon’s transitional President Brice Oligui Nguema was officially presented with a draft version of the country’s future constitution during a ceremony at the presidential palace.

The handover occurred a year after the military ousted President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled Gabon for more than 50 years.

A referendum on the new constitution is expected before the end of the year, but the people of Gabon have little information about its contents.

Before presenting the document, the Minister of Institutional Reform outlined key changes. These include the abolition of the prime minister’s position and the introduction of a seven-year presidential term, renewable once.

The draft states that any president attempting to amend these provisions would be guilty of high treason. It also grants the president the power to dissolve parliament but allows members of parliament and senators to impeach the president in cases of high treason.

Additionally, the draft stipulates that presidential candidates must have parents who were born Gabonese. It also elevates the soldiers who overthrew the Bongo regime to the status of “Heroes,” with protections provided by an amnesty law.

The draft constitution enshrines marriage as a union between two people of the opposite sex.

Despite the challenges ahead, the military government has promised to hold elections in August 2025.

The coup last year sparked jubilation across Gabon, with young people demanding better living conditions and a fairer distribution of the country’s wealth. Although the World Bank ranks Gabon’s 2021 per capita income among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, a third of the country’s 2.3 million people live below the poverty line.