Guinea’s President Alpha Conde on Thursday announced that he would seek a public referendum on a new constitution, a move that is expected to enable him to cling to power beyond the end of his constitutional mandate, reported Reuters.
In a televised address, Conde said the presidents of the National Assembly and the constitutional court had signed off on the proposal drafted by a special commission. He said the draft constitution will be widely disseminated before its adoption,
“This proposal will be the subject of a broad public outreach campaign before its adoption by the sovereign people,” he said.
However, Conde didn’t specify when the referendum would take place. He said a new constitution should replace the existing 2010 version, which he claims was hastily drafted to end coup leader Dadis Camara’s brief tenure. He avoided stating whether he intended to run for president again when his second term ends in 2020.
Conde was elected as the president in 2010 and his victory raised hopes for democratic progress in Guinea after decades of authoritarian rule. But his critics accuse him of cracking down on dissent and violently repressing protests. He has denied all the charges.
Conde’s second and final five-year term is set to end next year. The opposition suspects that he will use a new constitution as a reset button on the current two-term limit. A proposed draft for a new constitution, obtained by Reuters, does not explicitly state whether Conde would be eligible for the 2020 election. He has neither confirmed nor denied that claim.
The people of Guinea have been protesting since October against a possible constitutional change that will enable President Conde to contest the elections for the third time. The demonstrations have resulted in at least 14 deaths across the country.
