Gabon’s constitutional court has rejected a request from a lawyer and several political parties to annul the presidential decree appointing members of the country’s transitional parliament.
Since 6 October when national assembly members and senators were appointed, they have not begun legislative work because of a complaint filed barely three days after their selection.
The parties argued that the appointments did not conform to the transitional charter and were full of anomalies.
While denouncing the over-representation of some parties in the transitional parliament, such as ousted President Ali Bongo’s PDG, they said President Brice Oligui Nguema had violated provisions of the charter by appointing 98 MPs instead of 70, and 70 senators instead of 50.
Executive bureau members of parliament had pushed for a revision of the charter to reflect the increase in the number of legislative seats in both houses.
The constitutional court found the complaints admissible on form but dismissed them on the argument they didn’t comply with the law. The ruling means the country’s transitional parliament can now start work, paving the way for the installation of the lawmakers.