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Join on Telegram Rabat – Gabonese military officials who launched a coup last month have released ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba from house arrest and allowed him to leave the country for medical treatment.
“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba is free to move about,” Gabon’s military spokesman Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi said on Wednesday evening.
The spokesperson also announced that Gabon’s ousted president may “if he wishes, travel abroad for medical checkups.”
General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who was sworn in as Gabon’s new president, signed a release form, freeing the ousted leader from house arrest.
Gabon is the latest African country to experience a military coup.
It came on August 30, shortly after Bongo Ondimba was declared the winner of an election deemed controversial by his opponents.
Bongo ruled Gabon for 14 years before he was toppled by his own military last week.
It is unclear whether the ousted president will leave Gabon.
Bongo has had a history of medical issues, including a stroke in October 2018 in Saudi Arabia. He subsequently received an invitation from King Mohammed VI to come to Morocco for medical attention.
He remained in the North African country for the full period of his recovery, and has repeatedly extended gratitude to Morocco and King Mohammed VI.
“The king, my brother, your brother, our brother the king has done everything for me,” he said in April, referring to the Moroccan monarch’s invitation in 2018, adding, “I was able to benefit from all the care to gradually recover.”
