Gabon Elections : Campaign Enters Final Week

On Saturday, August 26, 2023 over 800, 000 Gabonese of voting age are expected to the polls for the country’s general elections (municipal, legislative and presidential). Of the three elections, much focus is on the presidential where incumbent, Ali Bongo is facing 18 other candidates. Compared to the start of the campaign last week, more and more people are now joining the different campaign trials and debates where programs of candidates for presidential elections are being presented at their rally grounds or party headquarters.
For the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), the Nzeng-Ayong Stadium, in the 6th subdivision of the Council of Libreville, is where candidate Ali Bongo has chosen to strategize. Decorated in the colors of the candidate, the space now known as “HQ” has on the various sides of the aisles and corners, posters of Ali Bongo. Every evening, several spokespersons take to the rostrum to convince the people that, Ali Bongo remains the best candidate and that his social project is the only one that can assure a better future for all Gabonese. Apart from frank discussions that members of the ruling party have initiated, they also share the “Republican Social Pact.” The pact according to Darlene Zamba, one of the spokespersons of the campaign, is based on three pillars including; a solidarity pact, a territorial cohesion pact and a Gabon leadership pact. 
After holding their first meeting on August 20, 2023 at “Place de la Tolérance au carrefour Rio in Libreville,” the campaign trial of “Alternance 2023”, a coalition of six oppositio...