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Leaders & Politics

Guinea:

Alpha Conde

re-brands at 82

Guinean President Alpha Conde

n March, President Alpha Conde pushed authoritarianism returns to the continent, Alpha Conde had became president
Ithrough a constitutions referendum rolling back the gains of the 80s and after a lifelong battle against a series of
amidst tension and opposition from the 90s, when most dictators fell, In the despotic and military regimes which sent
country’s opposition leader, who out same period, a number of countries him into exile and prison. It was Guinea’s
rightly rejected the result fearing it would across the continent adopted progressive first democratic election since gaining
be used by the Conde to extend his stay constitutions, whilst military leadership independence from France in 1958.
in power. was discouraged, But Conde’s critics have accused him of
The proposal to change the constitution President Conde had claimed the then cracking down on dissent and violently
had been hugely controversial in the constitution enacted under a military repressing protests - charges he has denied.
West African state, spurring mass junta regime was like a colonial document, He asked his government last year to draft
demonstrations in which at last 32 people borrowing a lot from French colonial era. a new constitution that would permit him
have been killed, according to media His «modern» constitution eradicates to run for office again.
reports. issues like child marriages and Female Conde has been “so disappointing”, said
Independent National Electoral Genital Mutilations. opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, a
Commission president, Amadou Salifou “The fight continues until Alpha former prime minister. He has created “a
Kebe, put the win at 91.59 percent of Conde leaves power under the current banana republic - a dictatorship in all but
ballots being in favor of adopting the Constitution,” Ibrahima Diallo, part of name”, Diallo said.
new constitution, while 8.41 percent were the FNDC alliance opposing the new An alliance of parties, unions and
against, accordingly affirming Conde’s constitution, told AFPE. “We will continue grassroots groups opposed to the
desires. the struggle until the complete withdrawal referendum delivered a similarly brutal
of this new constitution that the people
President Alpha Conde plans to reset judgement. “He took himself for Mandela
presidential term limits, allowing him reject en masse.” but decided to become Bokassa,” it said,
to run for a third spell. Conde has not The International Organization of the referring to Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the
openly declared intentions to run again. Francophonie (OIF) had described as former president of the Central African
However, critics say the draft constitution “problematic” nearly 2.5 million names of Republic who declared himself emperor.
extends presidential terms to six years and voters on the lists, with duplicates and the President Alpha Conde won a second
remove the two-term limits. presence of deceased persons.
term in October 2015, securing victory
Under current laws, presidents are limited The European Union had questioned “the in the first round of presidential elections
to only two terms in office. If his proposal credibility of the elections”, in particular with about 58% of votes cast.
passes, the 81-year-old could govern for because of the “lack of transparency”. Mr Conde’s political career began in the
another 12 years.
Moreover, West African States cancelled 1950s when, as head of the Federation of
The constitutional changes come at a time at the last minute a mission of several Black Students in Francophone Africa,
when many countries in the West Africa African Heads of State that was scheduled he campaigned for independence from
are trying to promote the idea that there to travel to Guinea. It announced that it France, a drive that bore fruit in Guinea
should not be more than two terms for would not deploy observers because of in 1958.
elected presidents; this however, appears the potential risks involved. The African Amnesty International has warned that
a challenge as many other African leaders Union followed suit by recalling its unless authorities address mounting
have pushed through constitutional observers. human rights violations, including the
changes removing term limits. A situation Conde’s first election victory in 2010 killing of protesters, bans on peaceful
that has left the African Union exposed, raised hopes for democratic progress in assemblies and attacks on dissenting
without a clear policy or common position the former French colony after two years voices, the country could face hard times,
of the matter.
of military rule and nearly a quarter of a in the run up to presidential elections in
Experts have warned of the continued century under authoritarian President October, in which n Conde has already
erosion of democracy in African, as Lansana Conte, who died in 2008. indicated interest to run.

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