Kintélé ceremony highlights Presidency security roles
Brig. Gen. Serge Oboa, special adviser to the President of the Republic and head of the Presidential Security General Directorate (DGSP), led a grade-insignia ceremony on Jan. 10 at the parking area of the Concorde sports complex in Kintélé.
The ceremony brought together military personnel, gendarmes and police serving in the Presidency’s operational structures. It ended with a military parade, underlining the formal and symbolic nature of promotions within units tasked with protecting institutions.
308 promotions within DGSP and Republican Guard
A total of 308 members of the public force serving at the DGSP and the Republican Guard (GR) were promoted for the first quarter of 2026, according to remarks made during the event.
Among them were 29 senior officers, including seven colonels, 13 lieutenants and nine commanders. The group of junior officers included 25 captains and 35 lieutenants.
The promotions also covered a large number of non-commissioned officers. The figures cited during the ceremony included two warrant officer majors, 97 chief warrant officers, 73 warrant officers and 44 chief sergeants.
Message on discipline ahead of March 2026 election
Addressing the newly promoted personnel, Brig. Gen. Oboa said the ceremony carried a strong symbolic meaning ahead of what he described as a major deadline in March 2026.
He referred to the President’s message during the “Réveillon d’armes 2025,” recalling the instruction that elections should take place in peace, calm and transparency. He urged the new promotees to internalize that guidance as a duty to accompany republican institutions.
In his message, the DGSP chief also warned that the services would not tolerate actions that could challenge what he called “hard-won peace.” He added that the Republic has a framework for grievances, encouraging those who feel wronged to use established channels.
Using a sports comparison, Brig. Gen. Oboa said a match is played in a stadium, not in the street, and stated that for the institutions the “stadium” represents the ballot box. He said those who try to disturb public order would face the application of the law.
A promoted officer describes the selection criteria
Col. Benoit Macaire Dimi Obissi, one of the newly promoted officers, thanked the command of the President’s operational structures for selecting him and others recognized during the ceremony.
He said he intended to remain hard-working and loyal within the chain of command. He also mentioned what he described as multiple criteria behind the decisions, including time in service and training such as war college, noting that many promotees shared similar backgrounds from the same schools.
What the promotions mean for public institutions
The event combined protocol with a clear operational message: promotions are presented as recognition of service and readiness, while also reinforcing expectations of discipline and institutional support during an important political period.
For many families and commuters watching state ceremonies, the practical takeaway is that security structures at the Presidency are being reminded publicly to prioritize calm and orderly processes, with the ballot box emphasized as the proper venue for political competition.