Gabon: Transition: Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze notes a gap between promises and governance

In Gabon, after the euphoria of the first hours, the ongoing Transition process leaves many skeptical. On the airwaves of Radio France Internationale (RFI), former Prime Minister Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze noted a gap between the promises made by the military in power and the governance being implemented. He sees a strong temptation to reproduce past mistakes and believes that political models need to be reconsidered.

Almost silent since the events of August 30, 2023, the last Prime Minister of Ali Bongo has been speaking out in recent days. “When there is a coup d’état in a country, it means that there has been a major dysfunction of the institutions and the political class as a whole,” said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze on the airwaves of Radio France Internationale (RFI). Not approving of coups, he notes that the Gabonese people have placed a lot of hope in the ongoing Transition in the country. He sees it as an opportunity to refound the institutions, governance of the country, and human relationships.

“The problem that arises today is unfortunately that there is a strong temptation to reproduce the mistakes of the past,” observed Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze. As evidence, he points out that governance is criticized on the web as it was during the reign of the former ruling party, and that cronyism and nepotism are observed in appointments. “So, it is important to be careful,” he warned. “If the revolution eats its children, the Transition also tends to betray its promises. We must be very, very cautious,” he commented.

Provide the country with a solid political framework

After the euphoria of the first hours of the coup d’état, he notes that “we are starting to see a gap between what was announced and the governance being put in place.” As a member of the Permanent Committee of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), he calls for a meeting of his party to conduct an assessment. “What we were criticized for by our compatriots, we see that it is also being criticized of the Transition. It would not be good that on the occasion of the Transition, we have the feeling that nothing has changed,” said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze.

He believes he has taken enough distance to speak about the life of his party and perhaps, the political life of the country in general. “It is necessary to provide the party and the country with a solid political framework,” he believes. As many political actors rally around Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the President of the Transition, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze believes they would be wise to look at how their parties operate. “Their parties have functioned in the same way as the PDG. It is a matter of analyzing whether the political models that exist are the right ones 30 years after the National Conference,” he said.

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