Colonel Mamadi Dumbouya after seizing power in Guinea
Coup in Guinea, as President Conde under arrest, government dissolved, all borders closed
Fate of Guinea’s President Alpha Condé is unclear after an unverified video showed him in the hands of soldiers who said, Sunday afternoon, they had seized power in a military coup.
Guinea Conakry’s Condé is one West Africa’s longest serving presidents.
The coup by soldiers of the country’s Armed Forces is believed to be led by one Colonel Mamadi Dumbouya, who had previously served in the French Foreign Legion.
Colonel Dumbouya, who together with his supporters staged a coup in Guinea and seized power, also decided to dissolve the government, abolish the current constitution and close the country’s air and land borders.
Dumbouya recorded a video message in which he announced his plans after the seizure of power in Guinea.
President Condé was re-elected for a controversial third term in office amid violent protests last year.
This will be the second military coup in West Africa in a space of one year following Mali’s military take over.
Meanwhile, former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan is expected to meet with the local Transition Monitoring Committee, civil society, and political parties, oafter arriving the country on Sunday.
According to his schedule, Jonathan will meet with Prime Minister Choguel Maiga on Monday before an encounter with the head of the military junta Colonel Assimi Goita on Tuesday.
Mali faces an ambitious timetable to facilitate its return to constitutional rule, which includes a referendum on October 31, regional and local elections on December 26, and the first round of presidential and legislative elections on February 27, 2022.
However, the transition has missed several deadlines, including sending a new draft constitution to the transitional parliament for debate, with some accusing the military of deliberately dragging its feet on the process. Transition plans were jolted by a second coup in less than a year in May.
The army rulers have vowed to respect the transition schedule but political parties and activists have accused them of seeking to dominate power.
United Nations reacts, condemns coup
United Nations (UN) has reacted to the Sunday afternoon coup d’etat in Conakry, Guinea, as the global body condemned the development.
UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres condemned Sunday’s apparent coup in Guinea and urged the rebels to release the country’s detained president, Alpha Conde.
“I am personally following the situation in Guinea very closely. I strongly condemn any takeover of the government by force of the gun and call for the immediate release of President Alpha Condé,” Guterres tweeted, Sunday.
