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Guinea military government presents ‘charter’ for civilian transition

 

Guinean military office, Mamady Doumbouya

Guinea’s military government has unveiled a “transitional charter” that it says will steer the country back to civilian rule.

The document, read out on national television late on Monday, set down a series of tasks, including the drafting of a new constitution and holding “free, democratic and transparent” elections although it does not clarify how long the transition will last.

Conde became Guinea’s first democratically elected president in 2010 and was re-elected in 2015. But last year, he pushed through a controversial new constitution that allowed him to run for a third term in October 2020.

The move sparked mass demonstrations in which dozens of protesters were killed. Conde won re-election but the political opposition maintained the poll was a sham.

Transition plan

The new charter identifies four institutions or figures that will be in charge of the transition.

They are the National Rallying Committee for Development (CNRD) set up by the military government and headed by Doumbaya; the president of the transition, who will also serve as the head of the CNRD, head of state and armed forces chief; a government headed by a civilian prime minister; and a legislative body called the National Transition Council or CNT.

No member of these institutions will be allowed to take part “in either national or local elections, which will be organized at the end of the transition period”.

The duration of the transition “will be set down by joint agreement among the living forces of the nation” and the CNRD, according to the charter.

Guinea’s ambassador to the United Nations told the UN General Assembly on Monday that the electoral rolls would be revised and the new constitution would be drafted in advance of new elections.

The CNT, comprising 81 members drawn from political parties, civil society, trade unions, employers, the security forces, and other bodies, will be tasked with drawing up the new constitution.

No members of Conde’s government or the institutions of the former government can be named to it.

The FNDC coalition, which spearheaded the protests against Conde, on Friday called for 100 people to be excluded from the transition process, including former ministers, judges, governors, and other politicians.

Doumbouya, meanwhile, visited the Bambeto cemetery in the suburbs of the capital, Conakry, on Monday to pay respects to those killed during the crackdown on protests against Conde’s third term.

The FNDC welcomed Doumbouya’s visit to the cemetery, calling it a “highly symbolic act.”

It said it hoped the visit “will be followed by the organization of a fair and equitable trial so that those responsible for the violence can be held accountable for their actions, therefore putting an end to impunity” in Guinea.

Source: aljazeera.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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