Jean Ping and close aides banned from leaving Gabon

Gabonese opposition leader Jean Ping other close aides have been banned from leaving Gabon after calling for a popular uprising to remove Gabon’s president Ali Bongo Ondimba.

Earlier in August, Gabonese officials blocked a local TV channel after it aired Jean Ping’s call for a civil protest aimed at ensuring that Ali Bongo leaves power.

Grilled on the decision to stop Jean Ping and his close aides from leaving the country, Gabon’s interior minister, Noel Matha said the ban is in response to the opposition leader’s statements calling for a rebellion and civil war.

Jean Ping’s camp believes this is an infringement on civil liberties which does not surprise the opposition in anyway.

The top opposition leader declared himself winner of last year’s presidential election after accusing Ali Bongo of using fraud and force to cling to power.