Omar Bongo

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Bongo et Chirac 2000.jpg El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba (formerly Albert-Bernard Bongo) (born December 30, 1935) has been the President of Gabon since 1967. He is Africa's longest serving ruler who is still in office, and the world's seventh longest serving ruler.

Bongo was born in Lewai — currently Bongoville; he was elected vice president in March 1967, alongside Leon M'ba, and became president following the death of M'ba on November 28, 1967. He converted to Islam in 1973 and changed his name to Omar. He added the surname Ondimba in 2003.

In the early 1990s, Bongo ended the one-party domination of the Gabonese Democratic Party and allowed multiparty elections in response to popular demand. These elections were held in 1993 and 1998; Bongo won both times, taking 51.2% and 66.88% of the vote respectively. Despite the reforms, it is generally thought that a non-independent judiciary and widespread corruption and patronage limit the ability of citizens to effectively change the government. Bongo thinks that it is better to have authoritarian government than democracy in Africa, because of tribal loyalties.

In 2003, the constitution was changed to eliminate any restrictions on the number of terms a president can serve; Bongo's critics have accused him of intending to rule for life. Bongo announced his candidacy for the 2005 presidential election on October 1; on October 6 it was announced that the election would be held on November 27, although security forces would vote two days earlier. [1] According to official results, Bongo won the election with a large majority of 79.2%; [2] he was sworn in for another seven-year term on January 19, 2006. [3]

Bongo's wife is the daughter of Congolese president Denis Sassou-Nguesso. His son Ali-Ben Bongo was Foreign Minister (1989–1991), and became Defence Minister in 1999.

Bongo is one of the wealthiest heads of state in the world, and this is attributed mainly to oil revenue and corruption. In 2005, an investigation by the United States Senate Indian Affairs Committee into fundraising irregularities by lobbyist Jack Abramoff revealed that Abramoff had offered Bongo to arrange a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in exchange for USD 9 million. Bongo met Bush 10 months later in the Oval Office.Template:Ref

[edit]

Trivia

In February 2001 the then Foreign Minister of Norway, Thorbjørn Jagland, in an attempt to be funny and entertaining, called Mr. Bongo "Bongo from Congo" on national television. This was after Mr. Bongo had visited Norway. Mr. Jagland said "Everybody in the Foreign Office told me I was about to meet "Bongo from Congo". During our meeting I almost said Congo instead of Gabon, where he (Mr. Bongo) is from."

In the Robert Altman film O.C. and Stiggs, the main characters converse by telephone with "President Bongo" of Gabon while making themselves at home in an insurance salesman's house. O.C. and Stiggs also fly a Gabonese flag from the antenna of their monster car.

[edit]