Raphaël Edzang officially takes the helm of the RPG in Gabon

Following his election on February 21, Raphaël Edzang is prepared to formally assume the leadership of the Rassemblement pour le Gabon (RPG). The official handover ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at the party’s headquarters in the Petit Paris district of Libreville.

This investiture will serve as a platform for the new president to present his strategic roadmap, define the party’s objectives for the upcoming years, and share his perspective on major national developments. Under the guidance of the new leadership team succeeding Laurent Angué Mezui, the party has adopted a resolute new slogan: “The RPG is change, and change is now.”

Through this vision, the new leader intends to inject fresh energy into the political organization. His strategy focuses on transparency, national progress, and establishing a stronger connection with the daily concerns of the population. Raphaël Edzang aims to re-establish the RPG as a major force for policy innovation and a pivotal participant in the country’s political life.

An economist by training, Raphaël Edzang is a high-ranking civil servant born on October 25, 1970, in Ellelem 1, located in the Woleu Ntem province. His professional background includes a significant tenure at the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGMP), where he served as the Director of Public Procurement.

His political commitment to the RPG dates back to 2009, when he served as a special advisor to the party’s president. He has remained a loyal member of the formation, which nominated him as a candidate for the legislative elections in 2011, 2018, 2023, and 2025.

The RPG was founded in the late 1990s by Paul Mba Abessole following the division of the National Woodcutters’ Rally (RNB). Historically a major opposition movement, the party eventually transitioned to join the presidential majority under the late President Omar Bongo Ondimba.