Gabon's new transitional government announces cabinet appointments

The government has appointed Gen. Brigitte Onganoa as the Defense Minister, making her the first woman to hold this crucial position in Gabon.

The Cabinet appointments were announced by the transitional Prime Minister, Raymond Ndong Sima. Among the key appointments are Lt. Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi, who has been named as the Communication Minister and retained as the spokesperson for the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), the body formed in the wake of the recent coup.

In other important positions, Regis Onanga Ndiaye has been appointed as the Foreign Minister, while Mays Mouissim will take on the role of Economy Minister.

Paul-Marie Gondjout has been entrusted with the responsibilities of the Justice Minister and Government Spokesperson, while Hermann Immongault has been named as the Security Minister.

The announcement of this new Cabinet comes in the wake of the August 30th coup when a group of senior Gabonese army officers seized power and placed former President Ali Bongo under house arrest. This move followed the confirmation by the Gabonese Election Center that incumbent President Ali Bongo had officially won a third term as president with 64.27% of the vote.

Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema, the former commander of the Republican Guard, was sworn in as the country's transitional president on Monday. (ILKHA)