Guinea’s military junta on Monday unveiled a transitional charter that will help steer the West African nation back to civilian rule, reported Africa News.
The charter, read out on national television late on Monday, outlines the missions and duties of the transitional government. It set down a series of tasks, including the drafting of a new constitution and holding free, democratic, and transparent elections in the country. However, it does not clarify how long the transition will last.
According to Guinea’s transition charter, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who was the leader of the junta that toppled President Alpha Conde earlier this month, will lead a government composed of a civilian cabinet.
None of the members of the transitional government will be allowed to run for office in the next elections. The charter also banned members of deposed president Conde’s party from running.
The duration of the transition is expected to be determined by the military junta, in consultation with various groups including politicians, civil society, and labor unions.
The new charter identifies four institutions or figures that will be in charge of the transition. They are the National Rallying Committee for Development (CNRD) set up by the junta and headed by Doumbaya; the president of the transition, who will also serve as the head of the CNRD, head of state and armed forces chief; a government headed by a civilian prime minister; and a legislative body called the National Transition Council or CNT.
The CNT, which comprises 81 members selected from political parties, civil society, trade unions, employers, the security forces, and other bodies, will be tasked with drawing up the new constitution.
Conde was Guinea’s first democratically elected president who came into power in 2010 and was re-elected in 2015. Last year he pushed through a new constitution that allowed him to run for a controversial third term in October 2020.
The move led to mass demonstrations in which dozens of protesters were killed. Conde won re-election but the political opposition maintained the poll was a sham.
