Rebels-appointed Gabon's Prime Minister Raymond Ndong Sima said that a "national dialogue" about a new constitution would be arranged next year, he stated during a press conference.
In addition, the prime minister stressed that a call to contribute to the dialogue would go out next week.
"Everyone has something to say. Men, women, old people, young people, people in housing estates, people in towns, in villages, everyone has an opinion and that's normal," he noted.
According to the prime minister, the written contributions should consist of two parts: firstly, comments on the current situation in internal politics, outlining what is acceptable and what is not, secondly, possible solutions.
By the end of January, Ndong Sima plans to present a summary of these contributions, which will serve as a basis for the national dialogue to take place between April and June.
"Why do we have a limited time to do this? Because we can't go on forever in a transition situation with a military command," he said, adding: "We are a civil society. We belong to institutional bodies, and we must respect the clauses of these bodies."
On August 30, Gabon witnessed the military invalidate the outcome of the presidential election held on August 26, thereby denying Ali Bongo Ondimba a third term in office. The rebel-appointed leader and transitional president, Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema said the change of the government in the country was a liberation and not a coup and proposed to adopt a new constitution for the country at a referendum without specifying the timeframe.
Following the coup, on September 7, the new military leaders appointed Raymond Ndong Sima, an opponent of ousted President Ondimba, as an interim prime minister. Two days later, a new cabinet was announced by the country's transitional government.