Consultations underway on Gabon's future constitution

There is less than a week left for Gabon’s parliamentarians to submit their proposed amendments to the country’s future constitution, ahead of a 22 September deadline.

A draft version of the document was handed to transitional president, General Brice Oligui Nguema, earlier this month.

The handover came a year after the military ousted President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled the country for over 50 years.

The main amendments proposed by civil society groups last week include a reduction in the presidential term from seven to five years.

They also want the relaxation of what they say are “discriminatory rules” on who is eligible to stand for president.

Other concerns include a provision in the draft giving the head of state the power to dissolve the National Assembly.

They also want the position of vice president to be abolished, and for greater clarity on the criteria required for removing a president from office.

Political players have also been commenting on the draft, with presidential candidate Daniel Mengara, among the first to openly say “no” to the project.

He has criticised what he described as the “hyper-presidentialism” enshrined in the document and is calling for a return to a parliamentary system to ensure a balance of power.

Mengara has applied to the government for recognition of his political party, the Congress of Free Citizens.

But while consultations on the draft constitution are underway, the ruling military will have the final say, with a referendum on it due to take place before the end of the year.