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GABON-PRESIDENT-HEALTH
Gabon’s Bongo in London for ‘routine medical checks’: presidency
LIBREVILLE, Sept 3, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba
is undergoing “routine medical checks” in London during a family trip, the
presidency said on Monday, denying his health was deteriorating nearly a year
after he suffered a stroke.
Bongo’s state of health has been the subject of fierce speculation, as the
Gabonese leader has made few appearances and spoken only a few words in
public since returning in March after treatment overseas.
The 60-year-old leader suffered a stroke last October while visiting Saudi
Arabia.
“At no time has the president’s health deteriorated, on the contrary …
Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba is on his way to recovering his full physical
abilities,” the statement from the presidency said.
It said the Gabonese president remains in charge of the country and would
return home soon.
Gabon’s government denied a Bloomberg news agency report, which cited
sources familiar with the matter saying Bongo was hospitalised in London with
his condition worsening.
“The President of the Republic is not hospitalised (…) but is on a
private stay in his London residence where he took a few days off with his
family,” the presidency said. “He is performing routine medical checks and
continues his rehabilitation.”
– Health checks –
Last month, Bongo appeared in public twice to attend the country’s
independence day celebrations, laying a wreath at a tomb and the next day
using a long cane to walk to an observation stand for a military parade.
After his stroke, with the initial months of absence and official silence,
speculation about his health and fitness to govern were further inflamed when
he returned home to Libreville.
Ten members of Gabon’s political opposition, civil society and trade
unions had filed a legal petition requesting Bongo be assessed to see whether
he is medically fit to continue in office.
But earlier on Monday Gabon’s Court of Appeal refused to hear that suit.
The appeals court has “buried” the case, said Jean-Paul Moumbembe, a
lawyer for the petitioners, as he left Monday’s session.
A lower court dismissed the case in May. It said only the two houses of
parliament, or the Constitutional Court acting at the behest of the
government, were empowered to determine whether the president was unfit.
But on August 12, the Court of Appeal said it would hear an appeal by the
plaintiffs. The court’s president was then suspended for two months by the
ministry of justice.
It said she had contravened a decision by the Court of Cassation, the
paramount authority in Gabon’s judicial system, which had ordered the case
dropped.
In her absence, appeals judges on Monday sent the case back to the Court
of Cassation, according to Bongo’s attorney, Tony Serge Minko Mi Ndong.
“Either the court will rule in our favour and put an end to this or it
will rule to the contrary and send it back to the appeals court,” he said.
But opposition attorney Moumbembe said: “We should consider this case
buried forever” while the Call to Action group which filed the petition,
called the appeals court ruling “fixed” justice.
Bongo succeeded his father Omar Bongo, who became head of state in 1967
and died in June 2009, leaving a legacy of corruption allegations.
BSS/AFP/AU/08:15 hrs