Nguema, a former Military General who won the Presidency as an independent candidate, is drawing both interest and criticism over his move.

This comes in the wake of a recent decision to reduce the number of political parties in Gabon from over 100 down to just three, a change many see as signalling a tightening grip on the country’s political space.

According to Geopolitical analyst Aaron Ng’ambi, given his military background, Nguema would want a political vehicle to implement his vision. However, cutting down the number of parties so drastically raises questions about political diversity and whether this is a step towards centralising power.

He adds, “the key issue now is whether this new party will foster genuine democratic progress or simply consolidate authority under a civilian front.”

--ChannelAfrica--