BE IT ENACTED by His Excellency The Lord High Chancellor, with the Advice and Consent of His Excellency's Council, and by the authority of the same, as follows—

1 Short title

This Act can be cited as the Electoral (Pandemic Postponement) Amendment Act 2020.

2 Emergency situation exists

1. It is declared that a human biosecurity emergency exists in relation to the human coronavirus with pandemic potential.
2. Human coronavirus with pandemic potential is an infectious disease:
   1. that has entered the territory of Gabon; and
   2. that is fatal in some cases; and
   3. that there was no vaccine against, or antiviral treatment for, immediately before the commencement of this Act; and
   4. that is posing a severe and immediate threat to human health on a nationally significant scale.

3 Elections postponed

1. This section applies as long as the emergency situation exists.
2. The operation of section 17 of the Chancellery Act 2019 is suspended.

4 Chief Medical Officer

1. There is a Chief Medical Officer of Gabon.
2. The Lord High Chancellor is the Chief Medical Officer.

5 Power to end emergency

1. The Chief Medical Officer may declare the end of the emergency situation.
2. In exercising this power, the Chief Medical Officer must be satisfied that the human coronavirus with pandemic potential no longer—
   1. poses a severe and immediate threat to human health on a nationally significant scale; and
   2. causes harm to human health on a nationally significant scale.

6 Elections to resume

1. This section applies when the Chief Medical Officer has declared the end of the emergency situation.
2. A poll must be held in the next calendar week.

7 Sunset

This Act repeals on 31 December 2020 at 11:59 PM.

Endnotes:

This Act was originally tabled to His Excellency's Council on 6 February 2020.

This Act was enacted by His Excellency with the advice of the Lord's Council, and entered into force, on 8 February 2020.

This Act was repealed by resolution of the Lord's Council on 10 October 2020.