The recent coup in Gabon is the latest in a spate of military takeovers occurring across Africa in recent years.
Like current and historical African military strongmen, Gabonese interim president General Brice Oligui Nguema has promised to return power to civilians through elections after a yet-unspecified transition period. The military junta stated as justification for the coup, a political, economic and social crisis, and particularly the failure of the August elections “to meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot”, as well as “a continuing deterioration