The Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG) has entered a new era. On Thursday, 25 June 2026, in Libreville, during a highly anticipated extraordinary congress, Marie Joselle Itsana was elected party president. This milestone makes her the first woman ever to lead this iconic political organisation.
The vote was exceptionally tight, reflecting lively internal debates. Out of 43 ballots cast, Marie Joselle Itsana secured 23 votes, narrowly defeating her opponent Roger Mouloungui, who obtained 20.
Unity and rebuilding: the task ahead
Far from dismissing the divisions that surfaced during the congress, the new president chose to turn them into a rallying force. “Our congress expressed different sensitivities, sometimes divergent opinions. That proves our party is alive,” she said, accepting her victory with humility while acknowledging the magnitude of the work ahead.
For Marie Joselle Itsana, cohesion is now the priority. Aware of the infighting that has weakened the movement in the past, she issued a passionate call to end factional wars. Her mantra is clear: turn the page on internal divisions and embark on collective reconstruction.
Restoring the UPG as a major political force
The new leader aims to restore the UPG to the prominent role it once played in Gabon’s political arena. To achieve this, the roadmap is ambitious. It includes rebuilding the party’s grassroots presence across the country while championing a platform centred on sovereignty, justice, transparency, and development.
A legacy to honour, a youth to mobilise
While looking to the future, Marie Joselle Itsana paid tribute to the party’s historical figures, notably its iconic founder, the late Pierre Mamboundou, and militants who fell for democracy. “We must prove worthy of the legacy we have received and responsible for the one we will pass on,” she stressed.
Turning to the future, she invited the new generation of activists to actively engage in upcoming strategic decisions, declaring that a new phase begins “today and now” for the UPG.
