Gabon's capital, Libreville was
reported quiet Monday ahead of Wednesday's electoral commission announcement of
Sunday's presidential election results.
There was a heavy military presence in
some parts of the capital reportedly to prevent any anticipated riots.
This
comes after the three leading presidential candidates claimed victory in
Sunday's poll.
But the electoral commission announced Monday that certified
results of the vote would be announced Wednesday.
The winner will replace
long-time leader Omar Bongo who died of a heart attack in a Spanish clinic in June.
Desire Ename,
publisher of Gabon's independent Echos Dunord newspaper said some Gabonese have expressed discomfort about the heavy military
presence in the capital.
"Libreville
today has the aspects of a dead city. Most of the offices really didn't open
and many people stayed at home… most of the time we have more than five to six
thousand cabs in the city, but most of them didn't really work today. So many
people didn't want to go out because of the situation (military presence)," Ename said.
He said the military
presence was in anticipation of possible post-election violence.
"Exactly, in many places in
the city where people used to gather like places where they take buses… and in
some particular areas where most of the times there are riots can start… we had
today a strong presence of troops," he said.
Ename said people were
afraid of the heavily military presence.
"I think the reaction is
that of fear people are really afraid of the fact that without any official
result we have already troops in the streets. It is the situations that scared
a lot of people," Ename said.
He said some voters went to
the electoral commission to ascertain some of the certified results.
"There are some other people
who are really determined to see the real results being proclaimed (and) this
is the situation," he said.
Ename said all three leading
presidential candidates in the just ended vote claimed victory.
"Early in the morning, the
three main candidates (each) proclaimed to be the winner of the election all
three of them. But the electoral
commission hasn't given the clear results yet," Ename said.
Despite the hotly contested
election, Ali Ben Bong is heavily tipped to win Sunday's vote.