Protesting against a suspected plot to keep President Ali Bongo in power, members and workers of the National Trade Union in Gabon, embarked on a three-day strike between the 11th and 13th of December in a bid to kick against recent constitutional changes.
The trade union, the largest in the country, called on its members to strike in protest of a mid-November constitutional amendment by the country’s top court, which inserted a clause allowing a delegated official to lead cabinet meetings in the absence of the president.
The Gabonese Constitutional Court, which happens to be presided over by Bongo’s mother-in-law, amended the basic law in a bid to accommodate Bongo’s six-week long absence from the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Gabon Trade Union Alliance, Louis Patrick Mombo stated that the people currently do not know who is in charge of the country at the moment. He further called for the president to speak on this, and reassure his people.
“We call all Gabonese workers to strike to demand the cancellation of the austerity measures, the respect of the Gabonese constitution which was violated on November 14th by the Constitutional Court and to demand the resignation of the court,” he said.
The 59-year-old president, whose family has ruled Gabon for 47 years, has been out of the country since October this year to seek medical attention in Saudi Arabia before a move to Morocco after a stroke.
Following his absence, the new amendment allows the Gabonese vice president, Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou, to attend to ministerial meetings and also unlock pending cases.
However, the Trade Union wants the previous constitutional rule which allows the senate president to act as interim president.
