Credit: Africa Union  @AUC_MoussaFaki /   Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat

By Gary Raynaldo

The African Union denounced an attempted coup d’état Monday in the central Africa nation Gabon. The BBC reported that the political situation in Gabon is “under control” following an attempted military coup, according to a spokesman for the government.

“The African Union strongly condemns the coup attempt this morning in Gabon. I reaffirm the AU’s total rejection of all unconstitutional change of power.”

Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission

According to the BBC,   five five soldiers took control of the national radio station at 04:30 local time (03:30 GMT) to read a short statement announcing a “National Restoration Council”.   Two soldiers who took part in Monday’s attempted coup in oil-rich Gabon have been killed, the president’s office says, reports the BBC. According to the BBC’s Firmain Eric Mbadinga, the coup attempt was a huge surprise because the army has always been loyal to the family of the president Gabon, a country located along the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, is a member of OPEC. Gabon’s oil production in November was 176,000 bpd, according to OPEC.

Credit: Ali Bongotwitter /   Gabon President Ali Bongo

Bongo is currently out of the country. Bongo’s last whereabouts was reported to be in Morocco. Bongo reportedly suffered a stroke last November as was hospitalized in Saudi Arabia, according to AFP  News Agency.  Bongo met with Moroccan King Mohammed VI as well as top government officials. However, his appearance continues to raise questions about the state of his health, AFP reported. The 59-year-old president fell ill on 24 October during a conference in Saudi Arabia and spent one month in Riyadh receiving treatment before being transferred to Morocco.  The Gabon government initially said Bongo was ill due to “exhaustion.”    Ali Bongo succeeded his father Omar Bongo as president in 2009, who governed the oil-rich nation for more than 40 years.

Meanwhile, President Trump Announced US Troops Being Deployed To Gabon Amid DR-Congo Post-Election Chaos

Credit: Wikipedia / President Trump has deployed US soldiers to Libreville, Gabon to support  the security of American personnel in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

The US military has deployed soldiers to Gabon amid fears of violent protests in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after its presidential election. These deployed personnel will remain in the region until the security situation in the DR Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed, according to President Trump. 

“United States Armed Forces personnel have deployed to Libreville, Gabon, to be in position to support the security of United States citizens, personnel, and diplomatic facilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.  This deployment of approximately 80 personnel is in response to the possibility that violent demonstrations may occur in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in reaction to the December 30, 2018, elections there. “

President Trump letter to Speaker Of The House of Representatives, Jan. 4, 2019. 

Voters in the DRC went to the polls on December 30, two years after the election was first scheduled to be held, to elect the successor to President Joseph Kabila, who has been in power for 18 years.  

Congo election results have been delayed as US deploys troops to Africa. The results of last weekend’s presidential vote in the Central African nation will be delayed by a week, the electoral commission announced. There are concerns of a popular “uprising” over any “fraudulent” election  results.