As part of the current referendum campaign, Petit-Lambert Ovono, president of the Gabonese Society for the Evaluation of Public Policies (SOGEVAL), detailed ten reasons why he considers it essential to vote “Yes” in the referendum on 16 november. These arguments, according to him, aim to strengthen democracy, equity and governance in Gabon, in accordance with the objectives of the current transition.
The first reason put forward by Petit-Lambert Ovono is respect for the commitments made by the military to the people. For him, the transition took place peacefully, and the military promised a return to constitutional order by handing over power to civilians. “ Voting Yes means supporting this desire to respect the timetable and the promises of the transition “, he said.
Petit-Lambert Ovono insists on the need to move away from an “exclusive multi-party democracy” towards an “inclusive pluralist democracy” (article 6), where each Gabonese has a voice. The new Constitution also enshrines the sovereignty of the people over natural resources, affirming that those of the soil, subsoil and digital resources will be protected and used in the national interest (preamble, paragraph 24).
Equal opportunities are also at the heart of this project: article 7 guarantees fair access to elective positions for young people, women, people living with disabilities, and men, thus allowing fairer and more diverse representation. .
A responsible governance model
Article 62 of the Constitution is another point of support for Petit-Lambert Ovono, who recalls that the President will now be responsible to Parliament, with an obligation to be accountable and to fight against corruption. “The President will only be able to dissolve Parliament once during his mandate, which strengthens accountability and transparency,” he explains.
The project also sets a limit on presidential mandates to two (article 42) and prohibits family succession to power (article 43), prohibiting relatives of the former president from succeeding him. These measures aim to establish a healthy alternation and put an end to political dynasties.
A decentralized and dignified Gabon
Finally, decentralization, enshrined for the first time in the Constitution (article 155), promises to bring institutions closer to citizens and give more power to local authorities. For Petit-Lambert Ovono, these changes are a unique opportunity to “ restore dignity to the Gabonese » and to build a country where every citizen finds their place and their rights respected.
Petit-Lambert Ovono, president of the Gabonese Society for the Evaluation of Public Policies, therefore calls on voters to support this constitutional revision project, the vote by referendum of which will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, “ for a successful transition and a fairer and more inclusive Gabon “, he concluded.
