Visionary Changes

Seven months to the holding of very crucial general elections in Gabon, President Ali Bongo Ondimba on Monday made a major shake-up of his government. The first was the appointment of Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda and Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze as Vice-President and Prime Minister respectively. The second was the putting in place of a new government that moves from 38 to 45 members. Coming just days after some major opposition parties met and agreed to put in place a “coalition platform”, many observers are of the opinion that Monday’s cabinet shake-up was a systematic strategy to the political challenges that await the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). 
To appoint an energetic lady, Rose Raponda as vice-president (a post which has been vacant since 2019), with the task of assisting the Head of State is a clear sign that, the head of the ruling PDG party wants to be assisted by a technocrat. After serving as Defence Minister, Mayor of the capital Libreville and then Prime Minister, Rose Raponda, has a rich bag of experience. As first lady to occupy the post of vice president, the 59-year-old has all it takes to help his party defeat the opposition coalition. She will work hand-in-glove with the new Prime Minister, Bilie-By-Nze. Mr Bilie, a close ally of the President who has held several ministerial jobs since 2006, is a seasoned politician ...