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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 OBITUARY 
6

Gabon President Omar Bongo Dead at 73

In office since 1967, he was world's longest-serving leader

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(Newser) – Gabonese President Omar Bongo has died of cardiac arrest at age 73, the BBC reports. Bongo has led Gabon since 1967, which made him the longest serving president in the world. Bongo has been in a hospital in Barcelona since May, and prior rumors of his death had sparked panic in Gabon, with food stockpiling threatening to close shops.

The head of the Senate, a Bongo ally, will step into his job for now, but an election must be held within 45 days. Opposition leaders are already questioning whether that election will be free or fair. Though government officials said Bongo, who was facing a French corruption investigation, was only in the hospital for a checkup, there were reports that he had cancer.

In this Friday July 27, 2007 file photo, President of Gabon Omar Bongo, right, waves to bystanders from an open car during a motorcade with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in Libreville, Gabon.
In this Friday July 27, 2007 file photo, President of Gabon Omar Bongo, right, waves to bystanders from an open car during a motorcade with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in Libreville, Gabon.   (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file)
In this July 27, 2007 file photo President of Gabon Omar Bongo is seen during a military parade at Libreville's airport, Gabon, upon French President Nicolas Sarkozy's arrival.
In this July 27, 2007 file photo President of Gabon Omar Bongo is seen during a military parade at Libreville's airport, Gabon, upon French President Nicolas Sarkozy's arrival.   (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file)
In this Feb. 27, 2006 file photo Gabon's President Omar Bongo is seen during a tripartite summit at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
In this Feb. 27, 2006 file photo Gabon's President Omar Bongo is seen during a tripartite summit at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.   (AP Photo/KEYSTONE/Salvatore Di Nolfi, File)
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6 comments
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IN RESPONSE:
SPH
Jun 8, 09 6:36 PM CDT
You are sick...Get help....
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IN RESPONSE:
Mr.C
Jun 9, 09 1:57 PM CDT
I get the impression that you don't know a damn thing bout the situation here. I doubt you can even find Gabon on a map unaided. Stop your damn over-generalizations. China is raping countries in Africa by supplying them with arms in exchange for oil and other resources.
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IN RESPONSE:
Rob
Jun 9, 09 5:41 PM CDT
Gabon is a democracy already, smart boy.
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0
Robert_Dada
Jun 8, 09 3:30 PM CDT
From George W Bush: "You don't get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier." (Governing Magazine, July, 1998). "If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier; just so long as I'm the dictator." ( Washington D.C. December 18, 2000). "A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it." ( Business Week, July 30, 2001) Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Mr.C
Jun 9, 09 1:58 PM CDT
It is totally true. Dictators get to cut thought the bureaucratic BS. -things like the UN would become more than paper-pushers.
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