Gabon military coup may end Ali Bongo's long-running ruling dynasty

FILE PHOTO: A still image from video shows Gabon President Ali Bongo being interviewed in Libreville, Gabon, September 24, 2016. REUTERS/Reuters TV/File photo

(Reuters) - Gabon's President Ali Bongo, 64, who officers said on Wednesday was under house arrest after a coup, followed a well-trodden path in the region: born to a ruling dynasty, he promised a new start before facing accusations of graft and rigged elections.

Bongo's campaign to preserve oil-producing Gabon's rainforests and forest elephants, a cornerstone of his rule since coming to power in 2009, initially raised hopes he might bring change in a region of autocrats.