Two of the five coup leaders have been killed as the army restores control, closing down the internet and broadcasting services in the oil-rich, small West African state.

The South African statement recalls the African Union’s rejection of any unconstitutional change of government and calls on the Gabonese army to restore the democratically elected government in Gabon.

That’s headed by President Ali Bongo who is recovering in Morocco from a  stroke suffered in Saudi Arabia two months ago.

Bongo took the reins when his father died in 2002 having seized power in 1967.

Ali Bongo won an election in 2016 by fewer than 6 000 votes and  at least  seven people died in demonstrations calling for an end to the 50-year Bongo dynasty in Gabon.

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Five rebel soldiers who took over the radio station this morning have been arrested.

The generals, civil society members and opposition figures they listed as their supporters are being investigated.

Gabon’s government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou says everything is under control in Libreville.

The coup bid, condemned by the French Government and the African Union,  has been crushed.

It took place while President Ali Bongo is recovering in Morocco from a stroke suffered while visiting Saudi Arabia two months ago.

He took over from his father Omar Bongo who died in 2002.

There have been calls for an end to the 50-year-long Bongo dynasty in the oil-rich country of two million where a third of the population live in poverty. 

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The coup leader says a New Year’s eve address by Bongo reinforced doubts about the president’s ability to continue to carry out of the responsibilities of his office.

Speaking for the putschists is Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang. 

He leads the self-declared Patriotic Movement of the Defence and Security Forces of Gabon.

He’s calling on Gabonese to join his national restoration movement. 

President Ali Bongo has been out of the country since suffering a stroke while attending an economic summit in Saudi Arabia two months ago.

There have been several calls of late for an end to the Bongo dynasty that started with Omar Bongo seizing power in 1967.

Ali Bongo took power after his father’s death in 2002.

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The lawmakers are at odds with growing public protests calling for an end to the Bongo dynasty.

Gabonese are saying ça suffit – that’s enough  – with increasingly regularity and volume.

They’re referring to the 50-year Bongo dynasty.

President Ali Bongo came to power in 2009 on the death of his father Omar Bongo who had been at the helm for 42 years.

Oil-rich Gabon has the highest per capita income in Africa.

But the average disguises the reality.

The United Nations says 60 percent of the 1,7 million Gabonese live below the poverty line.

Youth unemployment is  37 percent.

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His chief opponent and former ally Jean Ping, the one-time African Union commission head, persists in saying the result was rigged.

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The constitutional court says it retallied all the votes from the poll. However it couldn’t do a full recount because all the ballots  were burned immediately after they were counted at the polling stations.

It’s changed some of the results, but declared Bongo still has the lead.

The streets of Libreville have been quiet since the court decision.

At least seven people died and more than 1,000 were arrested in violent protests following the initial announcement of the election result earlier this month.

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The arrival of an African Union mission in the capital Libreville has been postponed until further notice.

Former Gabonese foreign minister and African Union Commission head Jean Ping is hoping the constitutional court will  overturn an election result whose validity has been questioned at home and abroad.

Ping lost to the incumbent Ali Bongo by fewer than 6 000 votes.

Gabon is calmer now after protests at the results caused at least six deaths and more than a thousand arrests

Ping’s seeking  a recount in the province of Haut-Ogooue, a stronghold of the Bongo family, who have ruled the central African oil-producing nation of 1.8 million for nearly half a century.

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France has recommended a recount and the African Union said it will send mediators after at least half a dozen deaths in post election violence.

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Gabon’s opposition leader Jean Ping – who has said the election was stolen – is calling  on the international community to help the people of Gabon.

EU election monitors have focused on Haut-Ogooue, a Bongo stronghold, where official figures showed he won 95,46 percent of the vote on a 99,9 percent turnout.

The EU noted that such a number means only 47 people in the area would not have voted. Other provinces showed on average a 48 percent voter turnout.

Bongo’s victory margin is fewer than 6 000 votes.

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Vals’ remarks come hours after Gabon’s Justice Minister and second prime minister quit the government because of its failure to order a recount.

ends intro

President Ali Bongo’s claiming victory over former foreign minister and AU Commission President Jean Ping by a wafer-thin margin of some 6 000 votes.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says there are some doubts about the result.

He says there needs to be a clear electoral process and it would be wise to do a recount.

France has already joined the European Union and the United States in calling for the results to be published according to each polling station.

It’s gone a step further calling for a recount.

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Opposition leader Jean Ping, who’s claiming victory is calling for a general strike to topple President Ali Bongo.

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France says several of its dual citizens are unaccounted for following clashes and mass arrests that ensued after the election ten days ago.

Agence France Press is reporting at least seven deaths in the oil-rich country ruled by the Bongo family since 1967.

Bongo maintains he won last month’s election by a razor-thin margin of just under 6,000 votes, but Ping insists the vote was rigged and he’s actually the winner.

Justice Minister and second deputy prime minister Seraphin Moundounga has quit  and demanded a recount of the votes, polling station by polling station, and registry by registry.

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France has joined the chorus of countries and organizations calling for calm and acceptance of the result, but Paris insists it will not intervene in its former colony.

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Foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault says France’s days of meddling in African countries’ politics are over.

They’re Africa’s partners but they don’t want to intervene in countries’ internal affairs. That would be disrespectful of Africans, they don’t ask for it.

France acts only when countries request Paris’ help.

At least  14 000 French citizens live in Gabon which hosts a French military base with 450 troops.

In the era of La Francafrique, when Paris played puppet-master in African countries decades after post-colonial independence, it propped up leaders like President Ali Bongo’s father in exchange for pushing business to French firms.

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