Bruno Ben Moubamba
Encyclopedia
Bruno Ben Moubamba is a Gabon
ese politician
.
to the cook of the Saint-Jean de Libreville seminary
. He was raised within Catholic
institutions.
After he graduated from high-school in 1987 in Libreville, he pursued university studies in philosophy, then communication. He is currently finishing his Ph.D at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales
in Paris
.
In 1992, he took part in a humanitarian relief mission in Bosnia, after which he started a career in journalism. Once a journalist, Ben Moubamba contributed to the creation of the Sainte-Marie Catholic radio in Libreville, in 1999. Back in France, he worked at Radio Notre-Dame and KTO, a French catholic television.
Ben Moubamba is married to Virginie Hubert-Moubamba. They have 3 children.
. He was noted for making intensive use of social media
in his campaign.
In a speech in Libreville, he declared that the leaders of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party
(PDG) had committed a "genocide" against their own people and were "repression professionals".
On 29 July, he asked for the election to be suspended and for a new constitution
to be drafted, arguing that the current one was "designed for the late Omar Bongo
".
Ben Moubamba began a hunger strike
in front of the National Assembly in mid-August 2009, demanding the resignation of the government and a delay in the election. On 20 August, officials from the Presidency asked him to stop the hunger strike, but he refused. Moubamba's condition had sufficiently deteriorated by 22 August that he fainted and was involuntarily hospitalized by his campaign workers.
On 30 December 2009, the planned creation of a new, united opposition party was announced, and Ben Moubamba was among the various opposition leaders participating in it. Ben Moubamba joined the Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development
(UGDD), an opposition party led by Zacharie Myboto
, and the UGDD then merged with two other parties to create a unified opposition party, the National Union. At the party's launch on 10 February 2010, Ben Moubamba was designated as one of its five Vice-Presidents.
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
ese politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Early life
Ben Moubamba was born in LibrevilleLibreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
to the cook of the Saint-Jean de Libreville seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
. He was raised within Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
institutions.
After he graduated from high-school in 1987 in Libreville, he pursued university studies in philosophy, then communication. He is currently finishing his Ph.D at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
The École des hautes études en sciences sociales is a leading French institution for research and higher education, a Grand Établissement. Its mission is research and research training in the social sciences, including the relationship these latter maintain with the natural and life sciences...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In 1992, he took part in a humanitarian relief mission in Bosnia, after which he started a career in journalism. Once a journalist, Ben Moubamba contributed to the creation of the Sainte-Marie Catholic radio in Libreville, in 1999. Back in France, he worked at Radio Notre-Dame and KTO, a French catholic television.
Ben Moubamba is married to Virginie Hubert-Moubamba. They have 3 children.
Political career
Ben Moubamba stood as an independent candidate in the 30 August 2009 presidential electionGabonese presidential election, 2009
A presidential election was held in Gabon on 30 August 2009 after the incumbent President Omar Bongo Ondimba died on 8 June 2009. While the constitution stated that Interim President Rose Francine Rogombé should organise elections within 30 to 45 days, the Constitutional Court accepted the...
. He was noted for making intensive use of social media
Social media
The term Social Media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as "a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0,...
in his campaign.
In a speech in Libreville, he declared that the leaders of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party
Gabonese Democratic Party
The Gabonese Democratic Party , is the ruling and dominant political party of Gabon. Its motto is Dialogue, Tolerance, Peace.It has held power since independence, first under Léon M'ba , then under Omar Bongo...
(PDG) had committed a "genocide" against their own people and were "repression professionals".
On 29 July, he asked for the election to be suspended and for a new constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
to be drafted, arguing that the current one was "designed for the late Omar Bongo
Omar Bongo
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba , born as Albert-Bernard Bongo, was a Gabonese politician who was President of Gabon for 42 years from 1967 until his death in office in 2009....
".
Ben Moubamba began a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
in front of the National Assembly in mid-August 2009, demanding the resignation of the government and a delay in the election. On 20 August, officials from the Presidency asked him to stop the hunger strike, but he refused. Moubamba's condition had sufficiently deteriorated by 22 August that he fainted and was involuntarily hospitalized by his campaign workers.
On 30 December 2009, the planned creation of a new, united opposition party was announced, and Ben Moubamba was among the various opposition leaders participating in it. Ben Moubamba joined the Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development
Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development
The Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development is an political party in Gabon...
(UGDD), an opposition party led by Zacharie Myboto
Zacharie Myboto
Zacharie Myboto is a Gabonese politician and President of the National Union , an opposition party. He was the Administrative Secretary of the Gabonese Democratic Party from 1972 to 1990 and served in the government from 1978 to 2001...
, and the UGDD then merged with two other parties to create a unified opposition party, the National Union. At the party's launch on 10 February 2010, Ben Moubamba was designated as one of its five Vice-Presidents.