On the third day of the campaign for the referendum on the new Gabonese Constitution, scheduled for November 16, Mouila, capital of the province of Ngounie, still does not show the signs of a mobilized city. No posters of “yes” or “no” supporters still adorn the streets, and the actors from both camps remain discreet at the start of the morning. However, the situation is changing rapidly. Luxury vehicles flock to Lac Bleu, a key hotel establishment in the commune, where a strategic meeting of the “yes” provincial coordination is being held, led by Guy Bertrand Mapangou.
The hotel manager, all smiles, announced that “all the rooms have been requisitioned” to accommodate the ministers and political leaders who had come to support the project. Meetings are continuing to ensure the logistics necessary for field deployments, including financial resources and promotional materials. Mapangou calls for a proximity strategy, encouraging each level of coordination to get closer to voters.
This weekend therefore promises to be crucial for the “yes” supporters, particularly in the districts of Mouila, where Serge Maurice Mabiala and Biendi Maganga Moussavou are preparing to intensify their awareness-raising efforts. On the other hand, the “no” supporters, led by former vice-president Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou, seem to be in retreat, with some remaining in Libreville. Their arrival is expected this weekend, in order to mobilize their support against the text.
In the offices of the electoral commissions, the atmosphere is marked by cordial exchanges between Governor Francis Oyinamono and the delegations from the capital. While the electoral list is awaited, the atmosphere thickens and tensions rise in the run-up to a referendum which promises to be decisive for the political future of Gabon.
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