GABON: VOTER REGISTRATION CLOSED, MINISTER OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIBREVILLE 000344

SIPDIS

AF/C FOR LISA KORTE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR GB
SUBJECT: GABON: VOTER REGISTRATION CLOSED, MINISTER OF
STATE OYE MBA RESIGNS TO JOIN LONG LIST OF PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES

REF: LIBREVILLE 00336

Classified By: Ambassador Eunice Reddick for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Voter registration for Gabon's upcoming presidential
election ended on July 22 after being extended an extra day
due to higher-than-expected demand. Long lines and early
closings of registration offices have fueled complaints by
citizens and political opponents to the ruling party.
Casamir Oye Mba, Minister of State in charge of Mines,
Petroleum, and Hydrocarbons resigned from the Democratic
Party of Gabon (PDG) on July 21 and announced his
presidential candidacy as an independent. Oye Mba is the
latest in a string of high-level defections from the PDG.
Newly-appointed Prime Minister Biyoghe Mba shuffled the
government to fill positions vacated by ministers who are
independent candidates. Minister of Defense Ali Bongo
Ondimba retained his portfolio. Vice President Didjob Di
Ndinge, leader of the ADERE party, publicly announced he
would not seek the presidency despite &pressure8 from his
supporters. The official list of candidates is expected to
be released by July 24. END SUMMARY.

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VOTER REGISTRATION CLOSED AFTER EXTENSION
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2. (SBU) The demand to register to vote in Gabon, especially
Libreville, was unexpectedly high. Originally schedule for 7
days, the Minister of Interior extended the registration an
extra day ) concluding the process on July 22. In 2005
there were an estimatd 727,000 registered voters. That
number is expected to increase by at least 200,000 for the
upcoming presidential elections.


3. (C) Irregularities regarding the voter lists are already
starting to appear. Two opposition parties, the Gabonese
People's Union (UPG) and the Socialist Party of Gabon (PSG)
both demanded that the Ministry of Interior extend the
registration period another full week since many voters did
not have the opportunity to wait through the long lines at
local municipal offices. Embassy contacts tell us there are
complaints of registration closing early at offices catering
to communities likely to vote for the opposition, waiting
crowds of registrants being summarily dismissed, and of
supporters of the PDG getting preferential treatment. At
least one registration office in a Libreville suburb did not
open on the additional day. Citizens of the community
barricaded part of a main road to demonstrate their anger.

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LIST OF CANDIDATES EXPECTED
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4. (SBU) Registration is also completed for perspective
presidential candidates. As part of the process, prospective
candidates had to pay a fee of 5 million CFA (approximately
10,000 dollars),pass a medical exam, and prove their sole
nationality is in Gabon. As of now, there are 15 publicly
declared candidates, with the official count expected to be
closer to 30. CENAP, the national election commission, will
publish the full list of candidates on July 24.

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OYE MBA BREAKS FROM THE PDG ) VP STAYS
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5. (SBU) Casamir Oye Mba, former Minister of State and
Minister for Mines, Petroleum and Hydrocarbons declared his
candidacy on July 21. He resigned from the PDG and his
governmental positions the same day. Oye Mba was a senior
member of the PDG. Oye Mba follows former Prime Minister
Eyeghe Ndong, and former Minister of Interior Mba Obame in
declaring his candidacy as an independent.


6. (SBU) Vice President of the Republic Didjob Di Ndinge
announced in state-controlled media that he will not run for
the presidency. He said that his supporters from the
Democratic and Republican Alliance (ADERE) party were
&pressuring8 him to follow Oye Mba and Eyeghe Ndong to
resign from the PDG and government and run for president.

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NEW GOVERNMENT FORMED - AGAIN

LIBREVILLE 00000344 002 OF 002


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7. (SBU) Newly appointed Prime Minister Paul Biyoghe Mba made
public the new government on July 23. Besides former Prime
Minister Eyeghe Ndong, three prominent PDG leaders - all from
the predominant Fang ethnic group- were replaced; Mba
Abessole, Oye Mba, and Mba Obame. Besides those that had
resigned from the PDG, the Minister of Hydro-Energy and
Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises stepped down and
were replaced. Both ministers are expected to support
independent candidates. Among the many ministers who
retained their portfolios, Ali Bongo Ondimba, Minister of
Defense and current PDG presidential candidate, retained his
position. Pierre Moussavou, a declared presidential
candidate and head of the PARI party in coalition with the
PDG, was moved from Minister of Territorial Management to
Minister of Technical Research and Professional Training.

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MFA MEETS WITH DIPLOMATIC CORPS
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8. (C) Minister of Foreign Affairs Paul Tongui convened a
rare meeting with the diplomatic corps on July 21 to reassure
the international community that Gabon remains committed to a
peaceful transition of power. He also conveyed the
appreciation of Interim President Rogombe for support from
the international community for Gabon after the death of
President Bongo. The meeting was also an opportunity for the
Minister to present the dean and deputy of the corps with
medals in recognition of their service. Tongui also noted
that foreign missions will need to work closely with the
Gabonese Government if they plan to send election observers.

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COMMENT
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9. (C) As opposed to the 2008 municipal elections in Gabon,
the long voter registration lines at the municipal offices
predict high participation in the upcoming election. Post
has not verified the complaints regarding registration
irregularities, but they do underscore a general feeling of
discontent by the Gabonese in regards to the rushed
registration process. The figure of close to 900,000
possible registrants is also likely to lead to questions of
irregularities. An estimated registration of 900,000 appears
to be impossibly high for Gabon's population of 1.5 million.
Di Ndinge,s claim that he is resisting the calls for him to
run appears to be an attempt to show PDG solidarity after the
very public defections by other high-level personalities.
END COMMENT.
REDDICK