A security analyst, Emmanuel Kotin, has stressed that the only way to stop military coups is with good governance.
Kotin’s comments follow the recent coup in Gabon, where army officers seized power and annulled the results of the recent presidential election, which was won by President Ali Bongo.
Military coup thrust the Central African nation of Gabon into turmoil Wednesday, unseating the president – whose family had held power for more than half a century – just minutes after he was named the winner of a contested election.
Ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba, also known as Ali Bongo, has faced accusations of election fraud and corruption since he began ruling the oil-rich but poverty-stricken nation nearly 14 years ago. Following the coup, residents in the country’s capital were seen celebrating and embracing soldiers on the street.
But much remains uncertain, with Bongo reportedly under house arrest, his son arrested, all borders closed and the government ostensibly shut down. International leaders have expressed concern and condemnation of the coup, some warning their citizens in Gabon to shelter in place.
Gabon’s President Ali Bongo has called on his friends all over the world to make noise about the coup in a video that has been circulating on social media.
In the video, Bongo says that he is safe and that his family is safe. He says that he does not know what is happening in the country and that he is urging his friends to speak out against the coup.
He again urges his “friends” to speak up, before thanking them.
Emmanuel Kotin said if you look at the history of Francophone countries, it has always been a system where a family will rule for a long period of time, following the tenets of their colonial masters. In Gabon, for example, one family has been able to rule the country for over 50 years. So Francophone countries have a peculiar problem. But there is also a mix of factors at play, due to globalization and the export of culture.
Story by: Osei Akoto (Teacher Kojo) / Ahotoronline.com
