The Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), the former single party which ruled Gabon for 55 years from Omar Bongo to Ali Bongo, is going through a troubled period, three months after the coup d’état. The deposed president and leader of the party Ali Bongo lives secluded in his residence in Libreville, several executives are in prison, others under house arrest, while still others are razing the walls. A sign of decline, some executives are resigning. The latest development is that party staff are on strike to demand salary arrears.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Libreville, Yves-Laurent Goma
They observe a sit-in in the large meeting room of the CEO’s headquarters, in a situation unimaginable before the coup d’état of August 30 : in total, 109 employees of the former single party, founded by Omar Bongo in 1968, say they are hungry.
“ Someone can’t live without money “, says one present. “ We are mothers and fathers, we want our money », continues another. “ We didn’t eat!! », indignant a third demonstrator.
A few weeks ago, the CEO retired around thirty agents without paying all of their rights. “ We don’t have the same financial means as before, justifies Luc Oyoubi, interim secretary-general of the party. And that’s why some people can’t find it anymore, but we have no choice, we can’t continue as before, it’s not possible. »
After more than half a century of electoral victories, the party recording right now cascading resignations.
“ Some of these resignations found themselves in the party hierarchy without having been party activists before, tries to nuance Luc Oyoubi. So the fact that such activists are leaving allows us to restore the Gabonese Democratic Party. »
The CEO is actively preparing for his conference. Some frameworks suggest to rename the partywhile others believe that this name is a legacy worth preserving.
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