afrol News, 15 March - President Ali Bongo of Gabon, who "inherited" the presidency from his father in 2009, now also followed late Omar Bongo's footsteps as freshly elected leader of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). The PDG has been in power since its establishment.
The ruling PDG this weekend has celebrated its tenth party congress in Libreville. The first post on the programme was to elect the party's new leader.
According to a statement issued by the party, "the former Vice-President of the PDG, the Head of State and President of the Republic, has been unanimously elected President of the PDG, according to the internal rules of this political entity." The person in question is Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Since the death of the current President's father, President Omar Bongo, in June 2009, the party has had an interim leader. Since the ascension of Mr Bongo jr to the Gabonese presidency, it has been clear he would be elected the party's leader.
But immediately after his father's death, this was still not clear. Ali Bongo, thus Defence Minister, was unpopular within party ranks, according to many reports from Gabon at the time. His playboy past had somewhat discredited him and many party members felt it was time for new leaders from outside the Bongo family.
Therefore, no less than ten applicants to become the PDG's official candidate in the August 2009 presidential elections stood forward. The Bongo family however succeeded in gathering enough support for Bongo jr in what has been described as a non-transparent process within the PDG.
Mr Bongo, according to official results, won the presidential election with 42 percent of the vote.
The PDG has held power, first as the sole legal party, since it was established by Omar Bongo in 1968. In 1990, multi-party elections were introduced in Gabon, but all have been won by the PDG. The opposition at each juncture has claimed widespread fraud, which is sustained by some observers.
With his unsurprising election to lead the PDG, Mr Bongo has assured yet another step to consolidate his power in Gabon. Indeed, the party leader was so sure of his victory that he left on a scheduled trip to Morocco shortly after his election, leaving the party congress to go on without its new president.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español