Gabon president proposes cutting presidential mandate to five years
GABON President Ali Bongo proposed shortening the presidential mandate from seven to five years as he began consultations to prepare for elections this year and measures to prevent violence. More than two days of deadly unrest followed Gabon's last elections in 2016 after the opposition rejected Ali Bongo's victory and alleged fraud. "On the eve of future general elections, I have today decided to set the term of office for all elections to five years," Bongo said on Monday. The move will require constitutional reform and a vote in parliament. Sixty-four-year-old Bongo has been president of the oil-producing West African…