Gabon’s Council of Ministers has approved a sweeping amnesty for those involved in two of the country’s most pivotal political upheavals in recent years — the failed coup attempt of January 7, 2019, and the successful military takeover of August 30, 2023.
The decision, announced on Tuesday following a two-day government seminar, will primarily benefit members of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), the military body that ousted former President Ali Bongo and installed current leader Brice Oligui Nguema in 2023.
It also extends to key figures behind the 2019 coup attempt, who have remained in prison for more than six years. Among those expected to be released and reinstated are former Republican Guard lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang, along with Dimitry Nze Minkom and Estimé Bedima.
The 2019 plot saw the officers seize Gabon’s national radio station, urging the army to “save the Republic” and calling on citizens to rise against the government. The attempt was swiftly crushed, leading to the arrest of the conspirators. While six defendants were acquitted, the three ringleaders were sentenced to 15 years in prison.
According to a statement from the Council of Ministers, the amnesty seeks to “contribute to calm and national reconciliation by definitively turning the page on these events.” The move aligns with President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema’s earlier calls for unity. In February, he publicly referred to Kelly Ondo Obiang as his “little brother” and pledged not to forget him while he remained incarcerated.
The government’s decision marks a significant gesture toward closing one of the most turbulent chapters in Gabon’s recent history, signalling an effort to foster stability and mend deep political divides.
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