STREET AND PULLING STATION; LEADERS VOTE, VOTING; QUEUE OF VOTERS, CROWDED STREET.




Initials GHB/VS/CCT/OS



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Background: PEOPLE TURNED OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS THROUGHOUT GABON YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) TO VOTE ON A SINGLE PARTY LIST IN PRESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL ELECTIONS.

PRESIDENT LEON MBA; AT PRESENT CONVALESCING IN PARIS, HIS MINISTERS AND THE WHOLE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ARE UP FOR RE-ELECTION FOR A SEVEN-YEAR TERM, THOUGH ONLY HIS RULING BLOC DEMOCRATIQUE GABONAIS (BDG) HAS OFFERED CANDIDATES.

THE OPPOSITION DEFENCE OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS PARTY IN CURRENTLY LEADERLESS AND WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT.

ON SUNDAY, VICE-PRESIDENT ALBERT-BERNARD BONGO AND FELLOW GOVERNMENT LEADERS WENT TO BALLOT BOXES AT THE PRESIDENCY AND THEN VISITED SOME OF THE 26 POLLING STATIONS IN THE CAPITAL. SECURITY PRECAUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WERE MINIMAL. THE ELECTORATE COULD ONLY EXPRESS OPPOSITION BY ABSTAINING OR SPOILING THEIR VOTES. BY TODAY (MONDAY) ONLY 1,030 OF THE 29,334 BALLOT PAPERS THEN COUNTED IN THE CAPITAL DID NOT SUPPORT THE BDG.

PRESIDENT MBA'S ADMINISTRATION HAS DOMINATED GABONESE POLITICS SINCE INDEPENDENCE IN 1960. THE ONLY SETBACK WAS A COUP IN FEBRUARY 1964 WHICH UNSEATED PRESIDENT MBA FOR 36-HOURS BEFORE THE FRENCH MILITARY RESTORED HIM TO POWER.

THE FINAL RESULTS OF THE ELECTION MAY NOT BE KNOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN OBTAINING RESULTS FROM AREAS OF THE INTERIOR.