Idriss Ngari
Encyclopedia
Idriss Ngari is a Gabon
ese politician and army general. A relative of President Omar Bongo
, Ngari rose rapidly through the ranks of the army, ultimately serving as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces from 1984 to 1994. He then held a succession of posts in the government of Gabon, serving as Minister of Defense from 1994 to 1999, Minister of Transport from 1999 to 2002, Minister of the Interior from 2002 to 2004, Minister of Public Works from 2004 to 2007, Minister of Tourism from 2007 to 2009, and finally as Minister of Health in 2009. Considered one of Gabon's most powerful figures during Omar Bongo's rule, Ngari is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party
(PDG).
, Ngari was born in Ngouoni, located in the Haut-Ogooué Province of eastern Gabon, in 1946. Omar Bongo
, who was also a native of Haut-Ogooué, was a maternal uncle of Ngari. Ngari joined the army in 1968 and trained to become an officer, studying in Côte d'Ivoire
at the officers' school in Bouaké
, as well as at Montpellier
in France
. Back in Gabon, he rose quickly to very high rank: he was aide-de-camp
to the Military Cabinet of President Omar Bongo from 1977 to 1978, Chief of Staff of Ground and Naval Forces from 1978 to 1983, and then Chief of Staff of the Armies from 1983 to 1984.
Ngari was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces in 1984 and remained in that post for ten years. As Chief of Staff, he ordered commandos from the Presidential Guard to destroy Radio Liberté, an opposition radio station, on 22 February 1994; the destruction of the station led to several weeks of unrest. According to Ngari, the station was inciting violence and hatred and it had to be shut down for the good of the country.
Soon after the destruction of Radio Liberté, President Bongo appointed Ngari to the government as Minister of Defense, Security, and Immigration in March 1994. Given its sensitive status, Bongo was always careful to maintain reliable control over the Defense Ministry; for years he had personally managed the defense portfolio, and beginning in 1981 he entrusted it to family members. Ngari's appointment marked a continuation of that practice.
A powerful figure in the PDG regime, possessing extensive influence within the military and his own Téké ethnic group, Ngari was close to President Bongo and was considered a rival to Bongo's son, Ali Bongo. He and Ali Bongo competed for political dominance in the Haut-Ogooué Province at the time of the December 1996 parliamentary election. Ngari supported candidates who ran against Ali Bongo's allies in seeking the PDG nominations for parliamentary seats in the province, but his candidates were not successful. Ngari, however, was elected to a seat in the National Assembly
.
After the 1996 election, Ngari remained Minister of Defense, Security, and Immigration, and he was assigned additional responsibility for posts and telecommunications on 28 January 1997. However, he was moved to the position of Minister of Transport and the Merchant Marine on 25 January 1999, and his rival, Ali Bongo, was appointed to replace him at the Defense Ministry. President Bongo was reportedly displeased by Ngari's electoral competition with his son in 1996. Rumors suggested that Ngari was deeply frustrated by the 1999 reshuffle, in which he was effectively demoted, for long afterward.
Identified as the leader of "aggressive loyalists" within the PDG regime, Ngari and his supporters resisted the inclusion of more members of the opposition in the government; President Bongo typically endeavored to co-opt opposition parties by offering ministerial portfolios to their leaders. He was again elected to the National Assembly in the December 2001 parliamentary election, and on 27 January 2002 he was moved to the position of Minister of the Interior, Public Security, and Decentralization.
Ngari spent two and a half years as Interior Minister before being appointed as Minister of Public Works, Equipment, and Construction on 5 September 2004; he was promoted to the rank of Minister of State, while retaining the same portfolio, on 21 January 2006. In the December 2006 parliamentary election
, he was again elected to the National Assembly as a PDG candidate in Haut-Ogooué Province. He was later moved to the post of Minister of Tourism and National Parks on 29 December 2007 and was simultaneously reduced to the rank of ordinary minister. Later, in the government named on 14 January 2009, he was instead appointed as Minister of Public Health and Public Hygiene.
Although Ngari, who was associated with the PDG's cacique
wing, was disliked by the PDG's reformist (renovateurs) wing, which was headed by Ali Bongo, he was nevertheless considered a potential successor to Omar Bongo. After Omar Bongo died on 8 June 2009, Ngari was considered perhaps the most formidable potential challenger to Ali Bongo in the contest for the PDG's presidential nomination, but he chose not to seek the nomination and it was won by Bongo. It was reported that Ngari briefly considered allying himself with Pierre Mamboundou
, an old opponent of Omar Bongo and the PDG, but he nevertheless supported Bongo's campaign.
Amidst the events of mid-2009, Ngari remained in his post as Minister of Public Health. While visiting hospitals on 5 August 2009, he announced that the first known case of the H1N1
flu in Gabon had been found. He said that the patient, a French national, had been quarantined, and he called for vigilance to prevent any outbreak of the disease.
Bongo officially prevailed in the 30 August 2009 presidential election
, defeating Mamboundou and an array of other challengers; upon taking office, he immediately dismissed Ngari from the government on 17 October 2009. Ngari's dismissal was part of a major reworking of the state administration, in which many prominent ministers and officials were replaced. Having lost his post in the government, Ngari then took up his seat in the National Assembly, representing Ngouoni.
, belonging to a faith that is practiced by only a very small percentage of the native Gabonese population. He is a member of the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs of Gabon, a body that works to coordinate Islamic activities.
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 and army general. A relative of President 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....
, Ngari rose rapidly through the ranks of the army, ultimately serving as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces from 1984 to 1994. He then held a succession of posts in the government of Gabon, serving as Minister of Defense from 1994 to 1999, Minister of Transport from 1999 to 2002, Minister of the Interior from 2002 to 2004, Minister of Public Works from 2004 to 2007, Minister of Tourism from 2007 to 2009, and finally as Minister of Health in 2009. Considered one of Gabon's most powerful figures during Omar Bongo's rule, Ngari is a member of the 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).
Military career
An ethnic TékéBateke
The Bateke are a Central African ethnic group that speak the Teke languages. Its population is situated mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and with a minority in Gabon...
, Ngari was born in Ngouoni, located in the Haut-Ogooué Province of eastern Gabon, in 1946. 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....
, who was also a native of Haut-Ogooué, was a maternal uncle of Ngari. Ngari joined the army in 1968 and trained to become an officer, studying in Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
at the officers' school in Bouaké
Bouaké
Bouaké is the second largest city in Côte d'Ivoire, with a population of 775,300 . It is the main urban settlement of the Bouaké Department with a population exceeding 1.2 million, in the Vallée du Bandama Region...
, as well as at Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Back in Gabon, he rose quickly to very high rank: he was aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Military Cabinet of President Omar Bongo from 1977 to 1978, Chief of Staff of Ground and Naval Forces from 1978 to 1983, and then Chief of Staff of the Armies from 1983 to 1984.
Ngari was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces in 1984 and remained in that post for ten years. As Chief of Staff, he ordered commandos from the Presidential Guard to destroy Radio Liberté, an opposition radio station, on 22 February 1994; the destruction of the station led to several weeks of unrest. According to Ngari, the station was inciting violence and hatred and it had to be shut down for the good of the country.
Soon after the destruction of Radio Liberté, President Bongo appointed Ngari to the government as Minister of Defense, Security, and Immigration in March 1994. Given its sensitive status, Bongo was always careful to maintain reliable control over the Defense Ministry; for years he had personally managed the defense portfolio, and beginning in 1981 he entrusted it to family members. Ngari's appointment marked a continuation of that practice.
Political career
As Minister of Defense, Security, and Immigration, Ngari oversaw a January 1995 operation in which about 50,000 illegal immigrants were expelled from Gabon, while about 15,000 were granted legal status and allowed to remain.A powerful figure in the PDG regime, possessing extensive influence within the military and his own Téké ethnic group, Ngari was close to President Bongo and was considered a rival to Bongo's son, Ali Bongo. He and Ali Bongo competed for political dominance in the Haut-Ogooué Province at the time of the December 1996 parliamentary election. Ngari supported candidates who ran against Ali Bongo's allies in seeking the PDG nominations for parliamentary seats in the province, but his candidates were not successful. Ngari, however, was elected to a seat in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Gabon
The National Assembly of Gabon is the lower house of the Parliament of Gabon. It has 120 members, 111 members elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies and 9 members appointed by the President.-Latest results:...
.
After the 1996 election, Ngari remained Minister of Defense, Security, and Immigration, and he was assigned additional responsibility for posts and telecommunications on 28 January 1997. However, he was moved to the position of Minister of Transport and the Merchant Marine on 25 January 1999, and his rival, Ali Bongo, was appointed to replace him at the Defense Ministry. President Bongo was reportedly displeased by Ngari's electoral competition with his son in 1996. Rumors suggested that Ngari was deeply frustrated by the 1999 reshuffle, in which he was effectively demoted, for long afterward.
Identified as the leader of "aggressive loyalists" within the PDG regime, Ngari and his supporters resisted the inclusion of more members of the opposition in the government; President Bongo typically endeavored to co-opt opposition parties by offering ministerial portfolios to their leaders. He was again elected to the National Assembly in the December 2001 parliamentary election, and on 27 January 2002 he was moved to the position of Minister of the Interior, Public Security, and Decentralization.
Ngari spent two and a half years as Interior Minister before being appointed as Minister of Public Works, Equipment, and Construction on 5 September 2004; he was promoted to the rank of Minister of State, while retaining the same portfolio, on 21 January 2006. In the December 2006 parliamentary election
Gabonese legislative election, 2006
A legislative election was held in Gabon on 17 December 2006 ....
, he was again elected to the National Assembly as a PDG candidate in Haut-Ogooué Province. He was later moved to the post of Minister of Tourism and National Parks on 29 December 2007 and was simultaneously reduced to the rank of ordinary minister. Later, in the government named on 14 January 2009, he was instead appointed as Minister of Public Health and Public Hygiene.
Although Ngari, who was associated with the PDG's cacique
Cacique
Cacique is a title derived from the Taíno word for the pre-Columbian chiefs or leaders of tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles...
wing, was disliked by the PDG's reformist (renovateurs) wing, which was headed by Ali Bongo, he was nevertheless considered a potential successor to Omar Bongo. After Omar Bongo died on 8 June 2009, Ngari was considered perhaps the most formidable potential challenger to Ali Bongo in the contest for the PDG's presidential nomination, but he chose not to seek the nomination and it was won by Bongo. It was reported that Ngari briefly considered allying himself with Pierre Mamboundou
Pierre Mamboundou
Pierre Mamboundou was a Gabonese politician. He was President of the Union of the Gabonese People , an opposition party in Gabon, from 1989 to 2011.-ACCT career and 1989 events:Mamboundou was born in Mouila...
, an old opponent of Omar Bongo and the PDG, but he nevertheless supported Bongo's campaign.
Amidst the events of mid-2009, Ngari remained in his post as Minister of Public Health. While visiting hospitals on 5 August 2009, he announced that the first known case of the H1N1
H1N1
'Influenza A virus is a subtype of influenza A virus and was the most common cause of human influenza in 2009. Some strains of H1N1 are endemic in humans and cause a small fraction of all influenza-like illness and a small fraction of all seasonal influenza. H1N1 strains caused a few percent of...
flu in Gabon had been found. He said that the patient, a French national, had been quarantined, and he called for vigilance to prevent any outbreak of the disease.
Bongo officially prevailed in the 30 August 2009 presidential election
Gabonese 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...
, defeating Mamboundou and an array of other challengers; upon taking office, he immediately dismissed Ngari from the government on 17 October 2009. Ngari's dismissal was part of a major reworking of the state administration, in which many prominent ministers and officials were replaced. Having lost his post in the government, Ngari then took up his seat in the National Assembly, representing Ngouoni.
Personal life and other activities
Like Omar and Ali Bongo, Ngari is a MuslimIslam in Gabon
Approximately 12% of the population of Gabon practice Islam .Islamic, Catholic,and Protestant denominations operate primary and secondary schools in Gabon. These schools are required to register with the Ministry of Education, which is charged with ensuring that these religious schools meet the...
, belonging to a faith that is practiced by only a very small percentage of the native Gabonese population. He is a member of the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs of Gabon, a body that works to coordinate Islamic activities.