Faith Nyasuguta
The Guinea military government head has announced that the nation will return to civilian rule after a 39-month transition period.
Speaking on television, Col Mamady Doumbouya noted that the proposal would now be put to Guinea’s parliament.
His army overthrew the elected president in a coup in 2021, something many Guineans previously welcomed.
However, there has been a ballooning discontent as the military junta missed to hand over power back to civilian rule.
The move came after the regional bloc of West African nations, Ecowas, set last Monday as a deadline for the army to give its timeline – or face immediate sanctions.
With the deadline being missed, the junta requested for more time and noted it was considering a transition period of between 18 and 52 months.
Col Doumbouya, on Saturday, reported that the 39-month period – three years and three months – was the “median proposal“.
The 80 member Guinea National Transition Council (CNT), set up after the coup to act as a parliament, is also tasked with setting a date for the country’s next election – but is yet to do so.
According to Col Doumbouya, no-one taking part in the interim government, including himself, will be allowed to stand in future polls set to determine the next civilian government.
In September last year, the army ousted and detained President Alpha Condé, 84, accusing him of rampant corruption and human rights abuses. Mr Condé had become increasingly unpopular after he changed the constitution so he could stand for a third term as president.
Ex-French legionnaire Col Doumbouya was sworn in as Guinea’s interim president in November , and vowed to form a new “union” government with civilian leaders within weeks – but missed to do so.
For many Guineans, the coup appeared like a chance for a fresh start with crowds chanting the military leader’s name in the streets. However the UN, African Union and Ecowas decried the military takeover and demanded immediate return to civilian rule.
/The Journal of Africa/
A series of coups – both failed and successful – have rocked West Africa in recent years. The most recent was in Guinea-Bissau in February, which failed and left several people dead. There have been two military takeovers in Mali and a failed attempt in Niger.
You may also like:
