Ali Bongo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ali Bongo
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Bongo in 2022
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| 3rd President of Gabon | |
| In office 16 October 2009 – 30 August 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Paul Biyoghé Mba Raymond Ndong Sima Daniel Ona Ondo Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet Julien Nkoghe Bekale Rose Christiane Raponda Alain Claude Bilie By Nze |
| Vice President | Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou Rose Christiane Raponda |
| Preceded by | Rose Francine Rogombé (acting) Omar Bongo |
| Succeeded by | Brice Oligui Nguema (transitional) |
| Minister of National Defense | |
| In office 25 January 1999 – 15 August 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Idriss Ngari |
| Succeeded by | Angélique Ngoma |
| Deputy of the National Assembly of Gabon | |
| In office 1990–2009 |
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| Constituency | Haut-Ogooué Province |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1989–1991 |
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| Preceded by | Martin Bongo |
| Succeeded by | Pascaline Bongo Ondimba |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alain-Bernard Bongo
9 February 1959 Brazzaville, then part of French Equatorial Africa |
| Political party | PDG |
| Spouse | Sylvia Valentin |
| Children | Malika Noureddin Jalil Bilal |
| Residences | Presidential Palace Libreville, Gabon |
| Alma mater | Pantheon-Sorbonne University |
| Religion | Catholicism (until 1974) Islam |
Ali Bongo Ondimba (born Alain-Bernard Bongo; 9 February 1959) is a Gabonese politician. He was the third president of Gabon from 2009 to 2023. He belongs to the Gabonese Democratic Party.
Ali Bongo is the son of Omar Bongo, who was president of Gabon for a very long time, from 1967 until he passed away in 2009. During his father's time as president, Ali Bongo held several important jobs. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1991. He also served as a representative for Bongoville in the National Assembly from 1991 to 1999. Later, he became the Minister of National Defense from 1999 to 2009.
After his father's death, Ali Bongo won the 2009 Gabonese presidential election and became president. He was re-elected in 2016. However, on 30 August 2023, the military removed him from power in a coup d'état. This happened after the results of the Gabonese general election were announced. The military, led by Bongo's cousin Brice Oligui Nguema, said there was a lack of fairness in the election. They created a group called the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions. This made Ali Bongo the first Gabonese president not to finish his term by dying in office.
Contents
Early Life and Political Start
Where Was Ali Bongo Born?
Ali Bongo was born Alain-Bernard Bongo in Brazzaville. His parents were Albert-Bernard Bongo (who later became Omar Bongo Ondimba) and Josephine Kama (who later became Patience Dabany). In 1973, Alain-Bernard changed his name to Ali when he and his father converted to Islam. In 2003, they both added "Ondimba" to their names. This was a family name from Omar's father, Basile Ondimba.
His Education and Music
Ali Bongo went to a private school in France. After that, he studied law at the Sorbonne. In 2018, he received an honorary law degree from Wuhan University in China. Interestingly, in 1977, when he was known as Alain Bongo, he released a funk music album called A Brand New Man.
How Did He Start in Politics?
After finishing his law studies, Ali Bongo joined politics in 1981. He became a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). In 1983, he was elected to the party's Central Committee. He then became his father's personal representative to the PDG.
From 1987 to 1989, Bongo was the President's High Personal Representative. In 1989, his father made him the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. He was seen as someone who wanted to bring changes within the ruling PDG in the early 1990s. In the 1990 Gabonese legislative election, he was elected to the National Assembly. This was the first election after Gabon allowed multiple political parties.
After serving as Foreign Minister for two years, he had to leave the government. This was because a new rule in 1991 said ministers had to be at least 35 years old. He then took his seat as a Deputy in the National Assembly in 1991. In 1992, he helped arrange a visit by American pop singer Michael Jackson to Gabon.
In 1996, Bongo became the President of the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs of Gabon. He was re-elected to his parliamentary seat in 1996. In 1999, after more than seven years as a Deputy, he was appointed as the Minister of National Defense.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly in 2001 and 2006. In 2003 and 2008, he was elected as a vice-president of the PDG party. During the 2005 Gabonese presidential election, he helped his father's re-election campaign. In 2006, he was promoted to Minister of State for National Defense.
Becoming President and His Time in Office
How Did Ali Bongo Become President?
Omar Bongo, Ali's father, passed away on 8 June 2009. That night, Ali Bongo spoke on television, asking everyone to stay calm and united. Because his father had given him important roles, many people thought he would become the next president.
Ali Bongo was one of ten people who wanted to be the PDG party's candidate for the presidential election. The election was set for 30 August 2009. On 16 July, the party leaders chose Bongo as their candidate. This decision was officially confirmed at a party meeting on 19 July. He promised to fight corruption and share the benefits of economic growth with the people.
Even though he was running for president, Bongo remained the Minister of Defense for a while. However, the opposition parties strongly disagreed with this. To make sure all candidates were treated equally, an interim Minister of Defense was appointed on 15 August 2009.
His First Election and Swearing-In
A few days after the election on 30 August 2009, it was announced that Ali Bongo had won with 42% of the votes. The Constitutional Court quickly confirmed this result. However, some people disagreed with the results, and there were protests in Gabon's second-largest city, Port-Gentil.
The Constitutional Court checked the votes again. On 12 October 2009, they confirmed Bongo as the winner with 41.79% of the vote. He was then sworn in as president on 16 October. Many African presidents attended the ceremony. Bongo promised to work for justice and fight corruption. He also said that quick action was needed to bring back trust and hope. He mentioned his father's idea of keeping stability by balancing power among different groups. He also stressed that being excellent and skilled was even more important.
Later that day, he announced that Paul Biyoghe Mba would continue as Prime Minister. Bongo said Biyoghe Mba had the experience needed to lead the country. The new government was announced on 17 October. It had fewer ministers, which was one of Bongo's promises to save money. Most ministers were new, but a few important ones kept their jobs.
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On 9 June 2011, Ali Bongo met with Barack Obama at the White House. In 2012, there were some clashes between supporters of an opposition figure and the police in Libreville.
In 2015, Bongo announced that he would give everything he inherited from his father to the young people of Gabon. This would be through a foundation for youth and education. He said that all Gabonese people are heirs of Omar Bongo and that no one should be left behind.
Gabon's economy mainly relies on selling natural resources. There are still many challenges, like a high unemployment rate. There have also been protests by students and workers. Access to healthcare is difficult, public services are not always good, and there are often power cuts. More than half of the people live below the poverty line.
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His Health and Public Appearances
On 24 October 2018, Bongo was hospitalized for an illness. He was later moved to a military hospital in Rabat to recover. On 9 December 2018, it was reported that Bongo had a stroke and was recovering at a private home. From October 2018 to January 2019, Bongo was not seen in public. This led to many rumors about his health. On 1 January 2019, Bongo released a video, which was his first public appearance since his illness. This helped to stop rumors that he had died. However, some people still questioned the video's truthfulness. In August 2019, Bongo made his first public appearance since his stroke. He has been seen using a wheelchair on several occasions since then.
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On 7 January 2019, some soldiers in Gabon tried to take over the government in a coup d'état attempt. However, the attempt failed, and the government quickly regained control.
In early 2020, the Senate and National Assembly passed a change to the constitution. This change would allow the president to appoint one-third of senators instead of having them elected.
2023 Election and Removal from Power
Changes to Elections in 2023
In January 2018, the Gabonese parliament voted to change the election system. They wanted to use a two-round system for presidential and parliamentary elections. This would replace the old "first-past-the-post" system. However, this was changed back in April 2023, just before the general elections. Other changes included five-year terms for all elected officials and no limits on how many times someone could be re-elected.
About a month before the elections on 26 August, a last-minute change was announced. Voters had to choose a parliamentary candidate from the same party as their preferred presidential candidate. This caused problems for the main opposition candidate, Albert Ondo Ossa, who was independent. This rule made it hard for people to vote for him and a parliamentary representative from the opposition group.
Election Day and the Military Takeover
On election day, foreign journalists and independent observers were reportedly not allowed into Gabon. There were delays at many polling stations, and people waited for hours to vote. After voting, the Gabonese government blocked internet access and French news broadcasts. A curfew was also put in place.
Just two hours before the polls closed, Ondo Ossa said there was "fraud" by Bongo's side. He even claimed victory and asked Bongo to allow a peaceful transfer of power. The official election results were announced late at night on state television without warning. The country was under curfew, and the internet was cut off to prevent "false news" and possible violence.
In the early morning of 30 August, Bongo's re-election was announced. He had won with 64.27% of the vote. Minutes later, the military took over the Presidential Palace in Libreville. About a dozen military personnel announced that Bongo's government was over. A military spokesperson said Bongo's "irresponsible governance" had caused problems and risked chaos. They also canceled the recent election, dissolved government institutions, and closed the country's borders.
The military group later announced that Bongo and his eldest son and advisor, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, were arrested and held at home. Several of Bongo's presidential aides were also arrested. The military said they were facing charges. Despite being held, Bongo released a video on social media. He looked upset and asked for help, calling on his friends and supporters to "raise their voice."
Brice Oligui Nguema, Bongo's cousin and commander of the Republican Guard, was later made the interim president by the military. A week after the takeover, Oligui allowed Bongo to be released for medical reasons. He was free to leave the country for treatment. After his release, Bongo moved to his private home in Libreville.
In September 2024, Bongo announced he was leaving politics. He also asked for his wife Sylvia and son Noureddin to be released. He accepted responsibility for "failings" during his time as president. In May 2025, Bongo and his family moved to Angola. This happened after an agreement between President João Lourenço and Oligui, who had since been elected president of Gabon.
Family Life
Ali Bongo married his first wife, Sylvia Valentin, in 1989. She is from France. In 1994, Ali Bongo married his second wife, Inge Lynn Collins Bongo, from Los Angeles, California.
He has four children: one daughter, Malika Bongo Ondimba, and three sons, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, Jalil Bongo Ondimba, and Bilal Bongo. He and Sylvia adopted the three sons in 2002.
See also
In Spanish: Ali Bongo para niños
