Raphaël Edzang, who was voted in as party president on February 21, is set to formally take control of the Rassemblement pour le Gabon (RPG). The handover ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at the party’s central offices in the Petit Paris district of Libreville. This transition marks a new chapter for the organization established by Paul Mba Abessole.
The upcoming investiture will serve as a platform for the incoming leader to outline his strategic vision. He is expected to define the party’s trajectory for the coming years and share his perspective on pressing national issues.
« The RPG represents change, and that change begins now », is the fresh mantra adopted by the new leadership team, which takes over from the administration previously led by Laurent Angué Mezui.
With this new slogan, the party’s leader aims to revitalize the political group. His focus is on integrity, national progress, and aligning more closely with the needs and hopes of the Gabonese people. Raphaël Edzang also intends to establish the RPG as a primary source of policy ideas and a vital participant in the country’s political landscape.
Professionally, Raphaël Edzang is an economist and a distinguished civil servant. Born on October 25, 1970, in Ellelem 1, located in the Woleu Ntem province, he has a significant background in public administration. He notably served at the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGMP) as the Director of Public Procurement.
His journey with the RPG began in 2009 when he was appointed as a special advisor to the party president. Since then, he has remained a steadfast member, representing the party as a candidate in the legislative elections of 2011, 2018, 2023, and 2025.
The RPG was created in the late 1990s by Paul Mba Abessole, following a split in the Rassemblement national des bucherons (RNB). While it was once a prominent opposition force, it eventually joined the presidential majority during the era of President Omar Bongo Ondimba, despite having previously been a vocal critic of his administration.
