Gabon’s military-installed prime minister, Raymond Ndong Sima has outlined plans for a “national dialogue” that will pave way for writing out a new constitution.
This is coming nearly a month after military leaders ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba after 14 years of ruling the country.
In Sima’s speech during a press conference in Libreville on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, noted that an appeal for contributions towards the dialogue would go out from next week.
Sima also said that contributory ideas would be sought from “all categories” of the population.
“Everyone has something to say” including on overhauling the political system and institutions, he said.
People need to be given “between 45 and 60 days” to make a “serious” contribution, he added.
He later told AFP by telephone that the next step would be to hold a “constituent assembly” to draw up a draft constitution.
The aim would be to translate “all the points discussed during the dialogue into constitutional text”, he added.
He said he hoped to put forward a summary document at the end of January.
It is for the national dialogue to decide on a timetable for the transition from military to civilian power, he said.
“We can’t go on forever being in a transition period under military command,” said Ndong Sima, a French-educated economist who had earlier served as prime minister under Bongo.
However, a specific date was not disclosed for the dialogue.
Last week, Sima defended the takeover before the United Nations as a “lesser evil”, saying the intervention prevented bloodshed.
Recall that the Coup leader, General Brice Oligui Nguema, who was swiftly sworn in as transitional president, has promised to hand back the country to civilian rule with elections after a transitional period.
AFP
