In the early hours Monday on January 7, a group of soldiers calling itself the “Patriotic Movement of the Defence and Security Forces of Gabon” (MPJFDS) under the leadership of Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang, staged what appears to have been a failed coup.

The group declared its unhappiness “with the leadership of President Ali Bongo, who is recovering from a stroke [at a private residence in Rabat -] Morocco.” The attempted golpe came one week after Ali Bongo “spoke for the first time since the beginning of his convalescence [from the Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) – stroke -] he suffered in October 2018 in Riyadh – Saudi Arabia]”. The video of his New Year’s speech was recorded in Rabat, Morocco, and broadcast on Monday December 31, 2018.

For a country oncemerely attempts to capture the problems associated with Africa’s dictatorships in which a single individual stays in power decades.

Growing discontent against the Bongo dynasty

The same authoritarian-overstretch scenario is gradually playing out in Gabon, largely born from increasing frustrations with the Bongo dynasty and its performance at the helm of the Gabonese State. Ali Bongo came to power following the death of his father, Omar Bongo Ondimba in 2009. Omar Bongo ruled Gabon from 1967 when pioneer President Leon Mba died on November 28, 1967.

Many Gabonese saw Omar Bongo’s death as the opportunity for change. They were quickly disappointed as the political establishment made sure Omar’s regime would be perpetuated through his controversial son, Ali Bongo. Ali went on to officially win the elections of 2009 and 2016 but