The former Army General was formally sworn in on Saturday, marking the end of a 19-month transitional period under military rule and the country’s return to constitutional governance.

Nguema first rose to power in August 2023, leading a coup that toppled Ali Bongo Ondimba, ending the Bongo family’s 56-year hold on Gabon’s Presidency.

Following the coup, he appointed himself as head of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions. While many saw his leadership as a shift away from Bongo-era rule, questions remain about whether his government will significantly alter Gabon’s political landscape.

Political Commentator Jean Bwasa has suggested that Nguema’s bloodline link to the Fubongo family may indicate that the influence of the Bongo network will persist despite the transition.

"This was prepared in such a way that their influence will still continue in Gabon," Bwasa stated. He further argued that many Gabonese citizens have yet to grasp the urgency of societal progress and economic transformation, particularly in reducing 60% unemployment in rural areas.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--