Following his election as party president on February 21, Raphaël Edzang is set to formally assume his duties at the head of the Rassemblement pour le Gabon (RPG). The official handover ceremony will take place this Saturday, June 27, at the party’s headquarters located in the Petit Paris district of Libreville.
This investiture ceremony will serve as a platform for the new leader to present his strategic roadmap, define the party’s trajectory for the coming years, and share his perspective on the major political and social issues currently shaping Gabon.
A fresh start for the RPG
Under the leadership of the team succeeding Laurent Angué Mezui, the party has adopted a resolute new slogan: “The RPG is change, and change is now.” Through this message, Raphaël Edzang intends to breathe new life into the political organization by prioritizing integrity, national development, and a closer connection to the daily concerns of the population.
His ambition is to restore the RPG as a primary force for political proposals and an essential player within the national political arena.
From public service to political leadership
An economist by training and a high-ranking civil servant, Raphaël Edzang was born on October 25, 1970, in Ellelem 1, situated in the Woleu Ntem province. His professional background includes significant experience at the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGMP), where he served as Director of Public Procurement.
His commitment to the RPG began in 2009 when he served as a special advisor to the party president. Since then, he has remained a loyal figure within the movement, representing the party as a candidate in the legislative elections of 2011, 2018, 2023, and 2025.
The historical legacy of the party
Established in the late 1990s by Paul Mba Abessole following a split within the National Woodcutters’ Rally (RNB), the RPG originally stood as a powerful opposition force. It later shifted its political stance to join the presidential majority under the late President Omar Bongo Ondimba, whom the party had previously challenged intensely.
