In mid-March Faustin Boukoubi, the secretary-general of the ruling party, Parti démocratique gabonais (PDG), announced that the government would introduce a biometric electoral roll in advance of the next legislative election, due in December 2011. The move may be a sop to the leader of the opposition Union du people gabonais (UPG), Pierre Mamboundou, who is rumoured to be on the verge of joining the government, possibly as vice-president, by the end of April. Mr Mamboundou, who officially came second in the presidential poll of August 2009 but claimed he was the rightful winner, has called for the introduction of biometric voter data to reduce the possibility of electoral fraud and allegations thereof. According to a pan-African newswire, Panapress, Mr Mamboundou met the president of the Constitutional Court, Marie Madeleine Mborantsuo, to discuss the logistics of introducing biometric data.

The decision appears to be a shrewd move by the PDG. The president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has faced accusations of having stolen the August 2009 election ever since he was declared the winner. Although acceptance of his election increased thereafter, the allegations have resurfaced with a vengeance since a documentary about Franco-African relations, entitled "Françafrique", was broadcast in December 2010 (January 2010, The political scene). The programme included allegations by several former French officials that the presidential poll held in Gabon in August 2009 was rigged, with French assistance, and that the third-placed candidate, André Mba Obame, was the rightful winner, as he has claimed ever since. Consequently, any move that appears to reduce opportunities for fraud will reflect well on the ruling party and boost its legitimacy. More importantly, perhaps, the concession to Mr Mamboundou will help to seal an alliance between the PDG and the UPG. Indeed, a coalition that supported Mr Mamboundou's candidacy, Alliance pour le changement et la restauration (ACR), in the presidential election may also come on board.