Ben Bruno Moubamba, Gabonese presidential candidate ahead of the August 30 presidential polls, Saturday in front of the National Assembly in Libreville, announced his intention to embark on an indefinite hunger strike. He is demanding the postponement of the presidential election and the formation of a government of national unity.
At a time when presidential candidates are multiplying their campaign operations and holding meetings in every corner of the country to seduce precious voters, Bruno Ben Moubamba has surprised everyone by announcing his announcement, in front of the National Assembly, his intention to embark on an indefinite hunger strike and why.
Ben Bruno Moubamba is seeking, among other things, the postponement of the August 30 election, the dissolution of the current government and the formation of a unity government, to help organise a credible election. He also wants a review and rewriting of the country’s constitution to make it more democratic.
According to him, the pending election is already illegal in the face of gross irregularities, particularly due to the unreliability of the electoral register. The electoral register has been found to contain some 120 000 duplicates. Criticizing the government regime, Ben Moubamba told the international press that “by refusing the postponement of the election and declaring August 30 as non-negotiable, the government has indirectly admitted the existence of signed statements ahead of the said date, with the hidden purpose of carrying out an electoral coup in order to favour the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, ruling party)”.
“I solemnly appeal to Christians of the former presidential majority, the opposition, the civil society and the Diaspora to support the necessary moral development needed in Gabon by supporting my candidacy,” reads a letter he sent to Gabonese Christians, a copy of which was received by Afrik-news.com.
Ben Bruno Moubamba is seeking to mobilise all Gabonese Christians in order to obtain a postponement of the election. Only between 20 and 30 of his supporters gathered around him on the first day of his hunger strike. With the other parties registering more people at their campaign rallies, Ben Bruno Moubamba’s fight may be more difficult than he hoped for.
