General Nguema Set to Consolidate Power in Gabon's Election After Coup**

As voters prepare for the presidential election in Gabon, General Nguema, who led a coup in 2023, is favored to win despite accusations of a rigged race.**

In Gabon, voters are gearing up to cast their ballots in a presidential election that appears to heavily favor General Brice Oligui Nguema, a military officer who seized power during a 2023 coup. As the election date approaches, candidates range from staunch anti-French advocates to a tax inspector, yet analysts suggest that Nguema’s victory is virtually assured due to the perceived manipulation of the election process in his favor.

Joseph Siegle, director of research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, highlighted that “it is not a level playing field to begin with,” reflecting concerns over the fairness of the electoral environment. Gabon, a resource-abundant nation housing around 2.5 million inhabitants, has long endured a legacy of autocratic governance, leading to high unemployment and persistent poverty, key issues that weigh heavily on voters' minds.

General Nguema, known for his charismatic campaigning style — sometimes opting for casual attire and dance moves, including those reminiscent of Michael Jackson — previously served as an aide to the country's former autocrat Omar Bongo and was head of the Republican Guard under Bongo's son, Ali Bongo Ondimba. As momentum builds towards the election, all eyes are on Nguema, whose controversial rise to power has left many questioning the future of democracy in Gabon.