Supporters of Gabonese President Ali Bongo called him a "choice of reason" at the rally in Owendo, the southwestern commune of the state, as he started his election campaign on the eve of the August poll, local media reported.
"Through his speech, we understand perfectly that he is the true president, he has a strong message, he said this, he intends to continue strong actions," one of the president's supporters said.
The incumbent head of Gabon announced that he will take part in the running for the top job at the beginning of July. He will compete with 18 candidates.
The list of Bongo's main rivals include the former Minister of Oil, Mining and Hydrocarbons Alexandre Barro Chambrier from the opposition Rally for the Fatherland and Modernity party and the National Union's head Paulette Missambo.
Bongo was first elected in 2009, following in the footsteps of his father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, who held the top post of the country for 41 years. In the 2016 elections, the current leader with 5,500 more votes overtook his rival Jean Ping, who claimed that the polls were falsified.
Amendments to Electoral Code
In April, the Gabonese parliament voted to amend the constitution and reduce the president's term from seven to five years. The restriction on the number of presidential terms was removed by an amendment to the Constitution in 2003.
Apart from this, the legislative authorities made all elections single-round ballots again after the last changes to the Constitution in 2018 set up two rounds of voting. The opposition regarded this change as a means of "facilitating the re-election" of Bongo.
The amendments in the electoral code, criticized by the opposition, also include the decision to allow a maximum of only three observers at each polling station -- one for the ruling majority, one for the opposition and one for all independent candidates.
"The claim of parity between the majority and the opposition is a trick. It favours supposed opposition parties without any candidates or very few," Francois Ndong Obiang, head of the Reagir party, shared his opinion on the issue.
Previously, each candidate was able to appoint an observer for every polling station.