Guinea has sworn in Colonel Mamady Doumbouya as interim president, who
promised to respect the West African state’s international commitments while
transitioning to civilian rule.
Doumbouya, who led the overthrow of President Alpha Condé on September 5, was
sworn in on Friday by Supreme Court head Mamadou Sylla for a transition period of
unspecified length.
The new interim president spoke of his “commitment” that neither he nor any
member of the military government would stand in any future elections that the
military has promised to organize after the transition period.
His administration’s mission is to “refound the state” he said, by drafting a new
constitution, fighting corruption, reforming the electoral system and then organising
“free, credible and transparent” elections.
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He once again said nothing at the time of his swearing-in about how long he will
remain the interim leader.
The new president also promised to “respect all the national and international
commitments to which the country has subscribed”.
The ceremony was held at the Mohammed-V palace in Conakry on the eve of a public
holiday celebrating the 1958 declaration of independence from France.
Doumbouya will serve as transitional president until the country returns to civilian
rule, according to a blueprint unveiled by the military government on Monday that
does not mention a timeline.
The September 5 coup, the latest bout of turbulence in one of Africa’s most volatile
countries, saw the overthrow of 83-year-old President Conde.
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
The “charter” unveiled on Monday promises that a new constitution will be drafted
and “free, democratic and transparent” elections held, but does not spell out how
long the transition will last.
The document says the transitional president will be the “head of state and supreme
chief of the armed forces … [and] determines the policies of the Nation”, with the
power to name and fire an interim prime minister.
However, the president will be barred from being a candidate at the elections that
will take place after the transition.
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