Joseph Lapensée Essingone, a senior official in Gabon’s tax administration, is entering the presidential race with the ambition of breaking with the past and bringing the people of Gabon together. With a solid academic and professional background, he presents himself as an alternative to the traditional political figures. His slogan ‘Le candidat de la rupture et du rassemblement’ (‘The candidate of change and unity’) sums up his desire for change and renewal for Gabon.
Joseph Lapensée Essingone, a candidate in Gabon’s presidential election on 12 April 2025, represents a new political alternative. Born in Lambaréné in 1972, this senior tax official has a solid academic and professional background. A graduate in Law and Public Finance, he built up his expertise in taxation in France before holding a number of strategic positions within the Gabonese administration. Multilingual and rigorous, he has a thorough grasp of the country’s economic issues.
‘I think that what Gabonese people need today is for another political class to come in, for new faces to be seen, for people to behave differently, even if some of them, in order to survive, are still obliged to ‘Counabilism’ with the same people who mistreated them yesterday, I understand their problem. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s not the people who should be blamed, it’s rather the politicians who aren’t up to the job’.
Joseph Lapensée Essingone, Presidential candidate – Gabon
Determined to embody change, he is campaigning under the slogan ‘Le candidat de la rupture et du rassemblement’ (‘The candidate of change and unity’), demonstrating his desire to break with the practices of the past while uniting the people of Gabon. He is critical of the corruption and bad governance that marked previous decades, promising fairer and more transparent management of national resources. His commitment is aimed at restoring public confidence and hope to a population in search of political renewal.
‘You’re going to the West, it’s not the people, it’s the leaders who have come up with real projects and put real initiatives in place, so support me. Anyone who really wants Gabon to change should get behind me, because here you have a candidate who knows how to change things.’
Joseph Lapensée Essingone, Presidential candidate – Gabon
Although not widely known by the general public, Essingone can count on the support of Gabonese who aspire to a profound transformation of the country. Faced with established political figures, he represents a credible outsider, with a discourse focused on social justice and economic recovery.
