Gabonese citizens are being encouraged to register for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for August 2025, as part of transitional President General Brica Clotaire Oligui Nguema’s plan to return the country to civilian rule. Voter registration began on January 2 and is set to conclude on January 31, 2025.
The elections mark the culmination of a two-year transition following the August 30, 2023 coup that ousted long-serving President Ali Bongo Ondimba. However, opposition parties and civil society groups claim that registration efforts have been lackluster, with many citizens doubting Nguema’s commitment to relinquishing power.
Government officials aim to register 300,000 new voters who have reached the legal voting age of 18 or have yet to be added to the electoral roll. These new registrations will supplement the 860,000 voters registered during the constitutional referendum on November 16, 2024.
This week, senior government officials were deployed to towns and villages to work alongside voter enrollment teams, encouraging citizens to register before the January 31 deadline.
Despite these efforts, skepticism persists. Cyrille Bissiengou, deputy coordinator of the Yes Volunteers initiative created to promote voter participation, expressed doubts about reaching the registration target. Speaking on state television, Bissiengou revealed that many young people are uncertain about Nguema’s willingness to transition power to civilian rule.
Jean Remy Yama, leader of the Unitary Dynamics trade union and a senator, echoed these concerns. He criticized the transitional government for not establishing an independent electoral body, arguing that this would have ensured free, fair, and transparent elections.
Nguema has denied accusations of seeking to consolidate power, maintaining that the elections are a genuine effort to restore constitutional order in Gabon. However, as the registration deadline approaches, doubts among the electorate remain a significant challenge.
