Gabon’s interim prime minister: Two-year transition to free elections ‘reasonable’

The prime minister of Gabon’s transitional government, which came to power following last month’s coup, says a two-year period before holding the free elections promised by the country’s new military rulers is “reasonable.”

“It’s good to set off with a reasonable objective by saying we have the desire to see the process come to an end in 24 months, so we can go back to elections,” Raymond Ndong Sima said on Sunday, adding, “That period could end up being slightly longer or shorter.”

Ndong Sima was appointed last week as head of the transitional government by General Brice Oligui Nguema, who led the August 30 coup d’etat against deposed president, Ali Bongo Ondimba.

He served as Bongo’s prime minister from 2012 to 2014, then resigned and ran against him for president in 2016, and again as part of an opposition coalition this year.