Raphaël Edzang set to take the helm of the RPG on June 27

After being elected as the party’s president on February 21, Raphaël Edzang is prepared to formally assume leadership of the Rassemblement pour le Gabon (RPG). The transition ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at the party’s headquarters located in the Petit Paris district of Libreville, marking a new chapter for the organization founded by Paul Mba Abessole.

The investiture event will serve as a platform for the incoming president to reveal his strategic vision, establish a roadmap for the future, and offer his stance on the major issues currently shaping the national discourse.

A commitment to political renewal

« The RPG is change, and change is now » — this is the fresh slogan adopted by the new leadership team as they take over from the administration of Laurent Angué Mezui. Through this message, the party’s new leader intends to inject a new sense of energy into the political formation, prioritizing transparency, national development, and a deeper connection with the everyday concerns of the population.

Raphaël Edzang also aims to restore the RPG as a primary force for policy innovation and an essential player in the country’s political landscape.

Background of a seasoned administrator

An economist by profession, Raphaël Edzang is a high-ranking official born on October 25, 1970, in Ellelem 1, located in the Woleu Ntem province. His career includes significant experience at the Direction Générale des Marchés Publics (DGMP), where he served as the Director of Public Procurement.

His involvement with the RPG began in 2009 when he served as a mission officer for the party’s president. He has remained a loyal member of the party ever since, standing as their candidate in the legislative elections of 2011, 2018, 2023, and 2025.

The RPG was established in the late 1990s by Paul Mba Abessole following a division within the Rassemblement national des bucherons (RNB). Historically recognized as a formidable opposition force, the party later transitioned to join the presidential majority under the late President Omar Bongo Ondimba, whom it had previously challenged.