AfricaNews monitoring desk in Accra, Ghana
Africa's longest serving leader, President Omar Bongo of Gabon has died aged 73 in a Spanish clinic. His death was confirmed by the country's Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong in a written statement on Monday. Ndong had earlier vehemently denied the death after a French media, AFP, broke the news.
There had been conflicting reports earlier on Monday about whether Bongo, who had cancer, had died the BBC reported. In his statement, Ndong said Bongo had died of a heart attack shortly before 1230GMT.
The report said people had already been stockpiling food in the capital Libreville following rumours of the president's death earlier in the day. They feared shops would shut if it was confirmed.
Bongo led Gabon since 1967, but stopped work in May. He faced a French inquiry into corruption allegations.
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