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Gabon holds long-delayed legislative and municipal polls

Thursday October 04 2018
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President Ali Bongo. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By AFP

Gabon votes Saturday in long-delayed legislative and municipal polls after a presidential election two years ago.

The oil-rich Gabon has been ruled by the same political dynasty for nearly half a century.

The controversial re-election of President Ali Bongo in August 2016 by just a few thousand votes led opposition leader Jean Ping to claim that victory had been stolen from him.

Violence broke out and dozens of people were killed according to the opposition, but the government says only four died.

Was bombed

Dr Ping's headquarters was bombed and the opposition also claimed that widespread human rights abuses were committed by armed militias that took to the streets.

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But ahead of this weekend's vote, pushed back three times since 2016, the campaign was low key.

Posters dotted the capital Libreville asking the country's 680,000 voters to turn up to elect 143 new MPs as well as other local officials.

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