A group of military officials in Gabon proclaimed their control over the nation through a televised message shared on social media on Wednesday. This declaration followed shortly after the election body of Gabon announced that the incumbent President Ali Bongo secured a third term, thereby extending his family’s decades-long rule over the oil-rich country with a population of 2.3 million.
If successful, this coup would mark the tenth occurrence of such incidents in the western and central regions of Africa since 2017. Notably, Niger underwent a military takeover in July, which caused significant ripples across the area and drew in countries with strategic interests in the region.
Here’s a summary of some prominent coup events that have taken place in Africa in recent years:
– **2019 Sudanese coup d’état:** President Omar al-Bashir was ousted on April 11, 2019, by the Sudanese Armed Forces following widespread protests. The military took over, eventually leading to a two-year transitional period.
– **2020 Malian coup d’état:** On August 18, 2020, parts of the Malian Armed Forces initiated a mutiny that resulted in a coup. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keta resigned amid detainment, making it Mali’s second coup in less than a decade.
– **2021 Malian coup d’état:** On May 24, 2021, the Malian Army, led by Vice President Assimi Gota, carried out a coup, detaining several top officials. This was the nation’s third coup in a span of 10 years.
– **2021 Tunisian self-coup:** Tunisian President Kais Saied overthrew the Hichem Mechichi government on July 25, 2021, suspending the Assembly of Representatives and causing political upheaval amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
– **2021 Guinean coup d’état:** On September 5, 2021, Guinea’s President Alpha Condé was captured by the military, leading to the dissolution of the government and constitution.
– **2021 Sudanese coup d’état:** General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Sudanese military staged a coup on October 25, 2021, detaining several high-ranking officials.
– **January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d’état:** A coup occurred on January 23, 2022, resulting in the removal of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
– **September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d’état:** On September 30, 2022, another coup ousted Interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba due to concerns about handling the nation’s insurgency.
– **2023 Nigerien coup d’état:** On July 26, 2023, the Republic of Niger witnessed a coup where President Mohamed Bazoum was detained, leading to the rise of a new military junta under the command of General Abdourahamane Tchiani.
These incidents underscore a concerning timeline of coup activities across Africa in recent times.
