Uncertainty in Guinea after the military coup lifted Alpha Comte | Guinea News

Guinea leader Alfa Kant once told reporters that he is the only person who can lead this country. He would also say that the army would not overthrow him.

On Sunday, he was proven wrong.

An elite special forces onslaught The Presidential Palace in the capital Conakry detained the 83-year-old president. A few hours later, the leader of the coup, Colonel Mamadi Dumbuya, appeared on the national radio station of Guinea TV, wearing the flag of Guinea, introducing himself as the country’s new leader to the surprising Guineans.

The Guinea coup has plunged the country into a state of uncertainty, leading to the threat of sanctions by the West African Economic Group, and aluminum prices have reached their highest level in more than a decade. Guinea is the world’s largest producer of bauxite, which is a mineral used to make aluminum.

Regional leaders immediately condemned the seizure of power and urged the coup leaders to restore constitutional order and release Comte.

In Conakry, the new military ruler soon tried to appease the country’s political and economic participants. Their kindness.

On Monday, Dumbuya told members of the overthrown government that a government of national unity would be established to lead the transition to civil rule.

He said that the new leadership will fulfill the mining contract and urge the company to continue operations. The land and sea borders that were closed during the takeover reopened in less than 24 hours.

However, this did not persuade the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional group to continue to suspend Guinea’s participation in all its decision-making bodies. Two days later, the African Union followed suit.

Comte became Guinea’s first democratically elected leader in 2010. His victory is seen as ending the country’s two first presidents Seku Touré and Lansana Conte’s decades of authoritarian rule. They Reigned for 26 and 24 years respectively.

Kant was re-elected for the second semester in 2015. But when he passed the Russian-backed constitutional referendum, he disliked it more and more. Kant said he allowed him to seek a controversial third semester in the October 20 poll.

Conakry’s journalist and analyst Sidy Yansane said that Conde fell on its own.

“Kant is very unpopular, even though people still vote for him. In the third mission, Kant went too far,” he said by phone.

The problem is imminent

In a speech to the nation on Sunday, Dumbuya said that Comte’s removal was necessary and continued to blame his leadership for poverty, corruption, tyranny and lack of development in Guinea. Dumbuya said that there is an urgent need to reform the country’s governance system and institutions.

“If you see our roads and the condition of the hospital, you will realize that it is time for us to wake up,” Dumbuya said. He did not say when the transitional government can be established.

“Now, people are happy to see Kant leave,” Yansane said. “But soon, they will need to see some action from the military government; signs that things are about to change, including the transition timetable.”

After the overthrow of President Alpha Conde near Kaloum in Conakry, Guinea, local residents cheered for army soldiers [File: Souleymane/Reuters] Kamala

So far, Sunday’s coup has encountered minimal resistance. Earlier this week, when the coup d’étatists drove through Conakry, cheering crowds greeted them.

Sally Bilaly Sow, a 29-year-old blogger and activist, said the coup may be an opportunity to reform and reorganize state institutions.

“The most important thing now is not to worry. In order to give the interim leadership enough time to reform and prepare for the new elections,” Suo said by phone in Conakry.

Cellou Dalein Diallo is the only challenger Comte was boycotted by the opposition in the 2020 poll. He expressed his willingness to participate, but he will not set an end date for the transition and restoration of civil rule.

The Guinea coup is the fourth military takeover of West Africa this year after two coups in neighboring Mali — the second coup took place in May of this year — and the suspicious succession of Chad has raised concerns about a democratic regression in the region.

In Mali, the military-led interim government lags behind the 18-month general election timetable, which should restore civilian rule in the country.

In Chad, President Mohammed Debi, who succeeded his father Idris Debi in April, does not seem to be in a hurry to hand over power to the civilian government.

The ECOWAS delegation that visited Conakry on Friday said its first meeting with coup leaders was “positive”.

The chairman of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, said that the delegation also met with Comte, calling the overthrown leader a “former president”, indicating that The regional group will not ask him to reinstate.