Guinea’s head of the military junta, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, on Saturday said he had opted for a 39-month transitional period before a return to civilian rule, reported Reuters.
In a televised speech, Doumbouya said the National Transition Council (CNT) would put the proposal to parliament soon. He described the period he had opted for as the “median proposal”.
“From all consultations at all levels since the beginning of the transition, with all groups of society, from all Guineans wherever they are, the median proposal that emerged is a transition of 39 months,” Col Doumbouya said.
The announcement follows the formation of what the regime has described as an “inclusive consultation framework” in April. That led to a conference that was boycotted by several prominent political groups.
Guinean opposition leaders have rejected the announcement by the leader of the military junta that they would press for a 39-month transition period to civilian rule.
The FNDC coalition, which includes some 20 political groups, said in a statement that choice had no legal basis and was “inadmissible, inconceivable and unacceptable”.
The transitional timetable was announced after the military junta failed to meet the deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The West African regional bloc had previously set last Monday as a deadline for the army to give its timeline, failing which it has threatened to extend sanctions applied to Guinea following last year’s military coup.
In September 2021, the Guinean military led by Colonel Doumbouya ousted elected president Alpha Conde in the impoverished former French colony. Conde, 84, had drawn fierce opposition after he pushed through a new constitution in 2020 that allowed him to run for a third presidential term.
Col Doumbouya was sworn in as Guinea’s interim president and he promised to form a new “union” government with civilian leaders within weeks – but failed to do so.
