Thousands of people were seen lined up outside the polling station in the seaside capital Libreville to vote.

voter In Gabon, they are voting in the presidential elections as military leader Brice Oligui Nguema hopes to consolidate his power in the first election since he led the 2023 coup.

The poll opened in the country at 7 a.m. Saturday (06:00 a.m. GMT), with reports of queuing at the polling station in the waterfront capital Libreville. Voting will be held in nine provinces in the country until 6 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT). The results are expected to be announced within two weeks of the vote.

In this oil-rich but poor African country, nearly one million people, including about 28,000 overseas, and 2.3 million people, voted.

Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem reported that Libreville reports that voters are looking forward to the vote but are “stricken between hope and fear”.

Nguema played a role in ending the 55-year Iron Fist dynasty rule of the Bongo family, led by former leader Ali Bongo, who has been leading the polls. Members of the Bongo family are accused of plundering Gabon’s wealth.

Aurele Ossantanga Mouila, 30, voted for the first time after completing the group transition at the casino.

“I have no confidence in the early regime,” he said.

Nguema plays the role of a transitional president while overseeing the establishment of a government, including civilians, which is responsible for formulating a new constitution after the 2023 coup.

The country will go to the polls when it comes to high unemployment, conventional power and water shortages, infrastructure shortages and serious government debt.

Nguema gave up his military uniform during his seven-year term as a rival, including Nze’s Alain-Claude Bilie, later already Before the coup.

He predicted a “historic victory” in the election.

“Builders are here, special candidates, the ones you call.” Nguema danced at the music and the closing rally in the capital Libreville on Thursday.

But critics accused Nguema of pledging to hand over power to civilians, who did not move forward from the years of plundering of huge mineral wealth under Bongos, who served in his territory for many years.

Nguema’s main rival, Nze’s Bilie has become a candidate for “complete breakdown”.

“In fact, it’s an election of total change. It’s a challenge, we’re at a crossroads,” he told Al Jazeera.

He accused Nguema of leading the Republican defender during the Bongo era, representing the continuity of the old system.

Nguema served as a former assistant training camp for Omar Bongo before becoming head of the presidential guard for his son Ali Bongo.

According to the World Bank, those who win will have to meet the high expectations of a country, and despite the huge resources and wealth of the World Bank, one-third of them still live below the poverty line.

Last year, Gabon’s debt rose to 73.3% of GDP and is expected to reach 80% this year.