By Kemo Cham
Violence erupted in Conakry on Friday, two days before Guinea’s controversial election.
At least one person, an army commander, died when alleged army mutineers storm a military barracks in Kindia in the northeastern region of the country. Details are sketchy about the incident, which comes on the backdrop of defiance by prodemocracy groups against incumbent president Alpha Conde’s alleged plan to maintain power.
Conde, 82, is seeking a third term in office. He first came to power in 2010 after a military coup that altered the country’s political course, ending decades of autocratic rule. He was again re-elected in 2015 for a second and final term.
But Conde shocked Guineans and pro-democracy campaigners when he decided to change the constitution to allow him run for a third term. This provoked condemnations and protests.
A coalition of civil society groups, the Defence of the Constitution, known by its French acronym FNDC, has been leading the anti-third term campaign.
The group, in a statement on Friday, October 16, reaffirmed its stance against Conde’s candidacy, noting that his candidacy is illegal and therefore it couldn’t accept any result that proclaims him as the winner of the election.
“The FNDC believes that the precondition for any election, the results of which can be considered fair, credible and legitimate, is an election in which Alpha Condé will not be a candidate and which will be governed by a completely overhauled electoral system and a restored constitutional order,” the group said in a statement shared with Politico.
“Until then, the FNDC remains faithful to its founding principles and calls on the people of Guinea to remain mobilized for the departure of Mr. Alpha Condé in the name of safeguarding the democratic gains, preservation of peace and stability of our country,” it stressed.
Condeh is facing 12 candidates. But the race is by all indication a two-horserace between the incumbent and his longtime rival, Cellou Dalein Diallo. It is the third time the two are facing off, after they first challenged each other in 2010.
Diallo, 68, is a former Prime Minister of Guinea under late president Lansana Conte. He is contesting this election despite calling Conde’s candidacy “unconstitutional” and amidst a series of concerns that include the “incompetence” of the electoral commission and the electoral register.
The election is being conducted under a two round system. If no winner emerges in the first round on Sunday, which is likely, the second round is slated for November 24.
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