In front of his wife and Guinean politicians, but in the absence of high-ranking foreign representatives, the putschist was made transitional president on Friday, October 1.
Mamadi Doumbouya, was sworn in on Friday October 1 as president of a transition of still unknown duration and content.
The commander of the special forces who overthrew President Alpha Condé on September 5, in a beige ceremonial uniform, wearing a red beret and dark glasses, swore before the Supreme Court “to preserve national sovereignty in all loyalty”, to “consolidate democratic gains, to guarantee the independence of the homeland and the integrity of the national territory ”.
His mother and his wife, a French gendarmerie officer, and many Guinean political figures were present. Cellou Dalein Diallo (UFDG), Sidya Touré (UFR), Faya Millimouno (BL), Siaka Barry or even Ousmane Kaba had made the trip to the Mohammed-V palace in Conakry.
Granting himself an additional rank of colonel, Mamadi Doumbouya again pledged to respect by Guinea all of its “national and international commitments”.
He also assured that, as provided for by the “charter” of the transition, a sort of fundamental act published on Monday, September 27 and entered into force immediately, neither he nor any member of the junta or of the transitional bodies would be a candidate for the future elections.
Personality cult
Before making him swear an oath, the President of the Supreme Court, Mamadou Sylla, compared the task of Colonel Doumbouya to the piloting of a ship “loaded with many painful events, many demands and immense and urgent expectations.”
He called on her not to be sidetracked “by the force of the waves of demagoguery and the storm of personality worship.”
After two coups in neighboring Mali, Colonel Doumbouya led the third putsch in a year in West Africa, carried out in a few hours at the cost of an unknown number of human lives, the media reporting about twenty dead.
This putsch has been widely condemned by the international community, which demands the release of Alpha Condé, still in the hands of the putschists. If the presidents of ECOWAS had been invited to this opening ceremony, none made the trip.
The president of the Malian transition had nevertheless sent Malick Diaw, the president of the Transition Council to represent his country. In attendance were the ambassadors of China and Russia.
Several Western countries had limited their presence to lower-ranking diplomats, but the representative of the United Nations system was present.
Indefinite period
Colonel Doumbouya assigned the mission of this transition to a “re-foundation of the State”, the drafting of a new Constitution, the fight against corruption, the reform of the electoral system, the organization of “free, credible and transparent ”and“ national reconciliation ”.
The junta said it would return power to civilians after elections at the end of a transition period. But she has never specified the duration of this transition, which has yet to be fixed by “mutual agreement” between the military and the country’s forces, nor specified its plans.
Colonel Doumbouya, colossus with calm manners, always closely protected by his men and always appearing in public in fatigues and wearing his beret, seems determined to give himself time, despite international pressure, analysts agree.
ECOWAS called for presidential and legislative elections within six months. It decided to freeze the financial assets of the members of the junta and their families and to ban them from traveling.
Since his accession, the one that the official press releases already designated as President of the Republic even before his inauguration, has multiplied reassuring remarks towards investors and foreign partners.
He guaranteed the respect of mining contracts and reopened all air and land borders. The “charter” of the transition confirms Colonel Doumbouya as the new strongman of Guinea, “Head of State and Supreme Chief of the Armies”, who “determines the policy of the Nation” and who “can take orders”. President Doumbouya will appoint by decree a transitional prime minister, whom he can dismiss.
wire
