Gabon announces 40-member 'interim' cabinet
May 5, 2018
State television on Friday carried news of Issoze-Ngondet's new cabinet, comprising a full 40 members — including some political rivals.
Although Gabon's Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that Issoze-Ngondet was no longer the legitimate prime minister, he was sworn back in on Thursday by President Ali Bongo.
Issoze-Ngondet's populous new cabinet is composed of 11 ministers of state, 17 ministers and 12 deputy ministers. It includes seven opposition figures — three of whom are allies of Bongo's political rival Jean Ping.
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The incoming government is to stay in place until elections, delayed since December 2016, take place. No date has yet been set for a poll. The court had ruled that elections — twice delayed since 2016 — should have been held by the end of April.
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No parliament is currently in place and the government presently refers to the president after a constitutional change — approved by parliament — which the opposition has described as a power grab.
Bongo was officially re-elected and sworn in as president in 2016, but, because he won by just a few thousand votes, the result proved controversial. He came to power in 2009, after the death of his father Omar Bongo, who had ruled for 41 years.
rc/bw (AFP, Reuters)