In rapid succession, two half-brothers of President Oligui Nguema have been removed from their positions: Aurélien Marcel Mintsa Nguema, a senior official at the Ministry of Budget, on Monday, June 17, and Pierre Bibang Bi Nguema, a lieutenant colonel in the Republican Guard, on Tuesday, June 18.
Is this a case of family retribution, personal conflict, or a crackdown on impunity? Online, theories abound as to why these two paternal half-brothers of President Brice Oligui Nguema were dismissed.
Aurélien Marcel Mintsa Nguema was appointed Director General of Budget and Public Finances on September 28, 2023. He was responsible for contributing to budget policy formulation. However, according to several sources, his behavior caused considerable friction. In late May, he unilaterally announced an increase in bonuses, angering the secretary-general.
In January 2024, a provincial tour to monitor projects was also criticized, with some believing he was encroaching on the responsibilities of the Minister of Public Works. Additionally, multiple sources describe his relationship with his supervising minister, Charles M’Ba, as contentious. It was M’Ba who signed the suspension order for Mintsa Nguema.
Another document indicated the handover of command from Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Bibang Bi Nguema, who lost his position as head of the Special Intervention Section (SIS) within the Parachute Intervention Group. According to a reliable source, it is inconceivable that the head of state was not informed of these decisions concerning his close relatives. “This is proof that we are no longer in a regime of impunity,” the source added.
These actions highlight a significant shift in the administration’s approach to governance, emphasizing accountability and the rule of law, even when it concerns individuals closely related to the president.