"LE GABON ENERVANT" OR "ANNOYING GABON"

 

 

 

 

      English version   Dear readers, for the presidential election, there are more than 1000 registered associations that have solemnly declared to support Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema plebiscite. But ask yourself what motivates all these people? They all expect to be rewarded with a patronage job. This is the way things work in Gabon.   As Marc Ona-Essangui famously said, once you have a hold of the catfish you should never let go. All these people who support Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema (BCON) expect in return their fair share of catfish.   However, there is a problem: there will never be enough catfish to satisfy everybody. In the end, many will be disappointed. This is a common argument against patronage politics. It's dangerous to engage in patronage politics due to the fact that the resources always turn out to be scarce.   In Gabon, the reality is that the government and political entities have finite resources (money, ...

 

 

      English version   Generally, and history shows this to be indeed true, those who were in power before a coup are very likely to oppose the new junta. This is because a real and genuine coup inherently involves the forceful removal of the existing government. This means those previously in positions of authority lose their power, status, and influence. This loss can lead to resentment, a desire for revenge, and a determination to regain their former positions.   Often, a coup occurs due to fundamental disagreements about how a country should be governed. The ousted leaders hold vastly different political ideologies than the junta. These ideological clashes fuel opposition and resistance. Some members of the former government might collaborate with the junta for self-preservation or opportunism, but the former government apparatus never joins the new junta.   Dear readers, what is written above is true in every country of the world, ...

 

 

      English version   We have just witnessed a series of interviews given by Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema to various Gabonese and international media outlet. The least we can objectively say is that he is an extremely poor communicator, and that’s unfortunate.   Those who say that Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema does not need to express himself with clarity, are doing him a disservice. These sycophants are not helping him become better; they are condemning him to mediocrity.   You see dear readers, in the modern political landscape, effective communication is absolutely crucial for a president. These days, information spreads rapidly. Presidents are constantly under scrutiny, and any misstep can be amplified instantly. Social media allows a space for rapid-fire criticism and misinformation. A president's ability to influence policy depends heavily on public support and effective communication is essential for building and maintaining that s...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      English version   Every day, there are many Gabonese who pound the asphalt, going from ofices to offices, hoping to advance their integration applications for functions that are necessary for the country. Some wait 5, 8 or even 10 years before receiving this valuable integration. A real obstacle course.   But at the same time, in the same country, you can create an association in the morning with your families and acquaintances, proclaim yourselves unwavering supporters of the action of Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema, in 24 hours, you will have all the administrative documents and in less than a week you will be given a small windfall for the printing of t-shirts and the motivation of the “militants".   Dear readers, in your opinion, who has an interest in keeping the Gabonese people in poverty, since the hand that gives is always above the hand that receives?           Version française   To...

      English version   It is only in Gabon that they celebrate the payment of their arrears to the World Bank, wanting to make people believe that they have cleared all the debt.   This blog has checked the information, and it turns out that Gabon had fallen into arrears with the World Bank, leading to the suspension of disbursements. Specifically, in early 2025, the World Bank suspended disbursements due to Gabon, because of arrears in the amounts around 27 million US dollars (16,2 billion CFA Francs), and another of around 29.6 million US dollars (17,7 CFA Francs).   The amount that has just been paid is the second arrears, and nothing else. It is therefore not a question of the payment of the debt as falsely announced, but simply of the payment of arrears which brings Gabon up to date in its payments.   Dear friends and readers, Gabon's debt remains undiminished!         Version française   ...

 

      English version   They are intellectuals, activists, soldiers, prelates, teachers, lawyers, doctors, members of civil society, etc. ; today in Gabon, they are nothing but hungry people and beggars of the Republic. These people are distinguished by the fact that they agree to support mediocrity in the name of begging.   They speak well, dress in Paris, may even be parliamentarians, but above all they seek money and honors, even to the detriment of the values and interests of the Republic. The beggars of the Republic are bootlickers who sing the praises of the chief to obtain favors.   The beggars of the Republic will tell you that the leader is an indispensable man, that we must return to the single party system because this leader is a godsend who should guide us for eternity. The beggars of the Republic are hostile to anyone who works for the respect of republican principles.   The beggars of the Republic are also those journ...

 

    English version   The man who yesterday said: "there are no more political parties; the only party is the CTRI", tells us today that it does not want to absorb anyone. The one who is the honorary president of Ossimane and has transformed this organization into his political movement, who sent them to coopt people in the four corners of the country, tells us that he does not want to absorb anyone.   The one who offered positions to all the activists who wanted them, and has rewarded various exiles of yesterday, tells us today that he does not want to absorb anyone.   But who is he kidding?         Version française   L’homme qui hier disait : « il n’y a plus de partis politiques ; le seul parti c’est le CTRI », nous dis aujourd’hui qu’il ne veut absorber personne. Celui qui est le président d’honneur d’Ossimane et a transformé cette organisation en son mouvement politique, l’a envoyé fai...

 

  The former Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is doing his shopping like any other Canadian.   L'ancien premier ministre canadien, Justin Trudeau, fait ses courses comme n'importe quel autre Canadien.

    English version   Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema is bringing back the one-party system. He will clearly be an authoritarian president who will be presiding over a clientelistic system which in turn will propagate corruption at all levels as a way to ensure sufficient political support. Two elements are key in a single party system: authoritarian rule and widespread graft.   Remember that in a single party system, there is a lack of accountability, as there are limited mechanisms to challenge the ruling people’s decisions. Without competing ideas, governance can become stagnant, and there is a lack of responsiveness to the needs of the population.           Version française   Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema est en train de rétablir le parti unique. Il sera clairement un président autoritaire qui présidera à un système clientéliste qui, à son tour, propagera la corruption à tous les niveaux comme moyen d'assurer u...

    English version   Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema has just announced the creation of a hundred budget positions to immediately integrate graduates in the field of health care into the Gabonese civil service. This is a good thing for the newly integrated, but a very bad governance model, because governance must not be done on a case-by-case basis. There are graduates in the fields of engineering, banking, teaching, etc., who have been waiting for more than 5 years for their budget positions. They cannot be ignored to accommodate newer graduates. This is not what having a good method of managing state personnel is about.   Effective governance requires a holistic and integrated approach, rather than addressing issues in isolation. Societal, economic, and political systems are deeply interconnected. Actions in one area inevitably affect others. A piecemeal approach might solve a specific problem in the short term but create unintended consequences elsewhere...

    English version   In Gabon, we have seen Brice-Clotaire Oligui-Nguema offer vehicles to needy activists, to destitute musicians; We have seen him hand over turnkey houses to poor families, etc. Taken individually, those who have received these gifts can count themselves lucky and happy. But unfortunately, on a collective level, this kind of donation will never solve the thorny problem of poverty in Gabon.   The idea of continuously giving freebies to those in poverty inherently teaches them to beg. It's true that when freebies are provided without any conditions or pathways to self-sufficiency, they can potentially create a sense of dependency. When people come to rely solely on handouts, their motivation to seek other means of support inevitably diminishes. This is why in Gabon, providing help to the poor should be done in a way that focuses on empowerment and long-term solutions, and not just to give them short term satisfaction.   Let us...