Gabon president in Morocco to convalesce

Gabon’ s President Ali Bongo arrived in Morocco on Thursday to convalesce after a month ’ s treatment at a Saudi hospital for an illness that has not been officially revealed.
The 59 – year – old leader of the oil -rich West African state had been in hospital in Saudi Arabia since October 24 when he fell ill at an economic forum .

After his arrival in Rabat , Bongo was taken to a hospital in the Moroccan capital to pursue his convalescence and rehabilitation , a Moroccan diplomatic source said .

His transfer was “ in accordance with the wishes of his excellency President Bongo , in agreement with the constitutional institutions of the Gabonese Republic, and in accordance with the opinion of the doctors , ” the Moroccan foreign ministry said in a statement.

After an extended period of silence , the Gabonese presidency eventually admitted earlier this month that Bongo was “ seriously ill ” and had undergone surgery , but said he was on the mend .

His recovery would take weeks , or even days , according to a source in the presidency .

No pictures were released to show Bongo ’ s arrival in Morocco nor since his hospitalisation in Riyadh , sparking concerns in Gabon over his health .

A lack of official news — along with memories of the secrecy – shrouded death of Bongo ’ s father Omar Bongo in 2009 after decades at the helm — had sparked numerous rumours , including speculation he was incapacitated or even dead.

The Bongo family has governed Gabon for five decades .

Ali Bongo was elected head of state after his father ’ s death .

He was narrowly re – elected in 2016 after beating opposition challenger Jean Ping by a few thousand votes following a presidential poll marred by deadly violence and allegations of fraud.

– Domestic crisis –

Over the past month , the Gabonese presidency has released only two statements on Bongo ’ s health .

In the first , several days after his hospitalisation , presidency spokesman Ike Ngouoni said that Bongo was “ suffering from severe fatigue ” .

Then on November 11 , Ngouoni admitted the president was “ seriously ill ” and had undergone surgery.

Following discomfort and “ persistent vertigo … the first tests revealed bleeding which justified medical surgical care in a highly specialised sector , ” the spokesman said quoting a medical bulletin from doctors treating Bongo .

Earlier this month , a foreign source close to Bongo and his French -born wife Sylvia Bongo Ondimba told AFP the Gabonese president had suffered a stroke .

But at no time did the Gabon presidency reveal the nature of Bongo ’ s illness .

It was his wife who announced his departure from Riyadh to Morocco on her Facebook page .

She said he was able to travel due to a “ very significant improvement ” in his health and that his recovery in Morocco would be “ brief” .

Sylvia Bongo Ondimba also said that her husband would use his stay in Morocco to work on “ top priority dossiers ” concerning Gabon and would summon presidential aides to help him .

Her remarks led the Gabonreview website to write on Thursday that the “ management of the president ’ s health has put the spotlight on his very powerful ” family and “ shows proof of the impotence of the state apparatus” .

The crisis surrounding Bongo ’ s health prompted Gabon’ s Constitutional Court to modify in mid – November the country’ s basic law to address the president’ s “ temporary incapacity ” .

The court also authorised Vice President Pierre -Claver Maganga Moussavou to chair a cabinet meeting for the first time since Bongo ’ s absence .

Opposition figures and civil society have denounced the court ’ s move as illegal.

On Thursday a Gabon trade union coalition , Dynamique Unitaire , called for a general strike on December 10 – 12 , saying Bongo ’ s absence is depriving the country of a necessary interlocutor to solve problems linked to austerity measures taken recently by the government.

It also said it would organise a peaceful march on December 18 to denounce “ the illegal modification of the constitution ” .

The African Union has warned Gabon to respect “ constitutional order ” .

The Gabonese president and Morocco’ s King Mohammed VI have had a close relationship since their youth .

( AFP)

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