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Sources say Gabon leader has stroke, govt says it’s fatigue

Published

5 years ago

October 29, 2018

Gabonese President Ali Bongo on Monday was still under observation at the King Faisal hospital in Riyadh where he was taken to on October 24 .A medical and a diplomatic source both told the media that the president suffered a stroke .

Bongo was hospitalised last week in Saudi Arabia after suffering a stroke , two sources told media , while the Gabonese authorities said he was admitted only because of fatigue .

Government spokesman , Ike Ngouoni , denied this and said that Bongo , instead , had “ severe fatigue ” after months of strenuous work .

The president was in Saudi Arabia to attend the Future Investment Initiative conference , where he was scheduled to speak alongside other African leaders .
Bongo , whose family has ruled the Central African oil – rich country for nearly a half -century , has been president since succeeding his father , Omar , in 2009 .

He narrowly won a re – election in 2016 in a poll that the opposition claimed was marred by fraud.

Mass protests broke out , during which the national parlia