The government in Guinea has announced a ban on political demonstrations across the country until further notice. This move comes after the leader of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea party, Cellou Dalein Diallo, called for a protest to be held on Wednesday due to the arrest of several opposition members.
The government of Guinea has cited the coronavirus pandemic as its reason for banning political gatherings, critics view this as part of a post-electoral crackdown engineered by Mr Condé who is now in his third term in office. Elections to determine the president of Guinea were held on October 18, allowing President Alpha Condé to win a controversial third term in office sparking protests in major cities across the country.
What Other Events Happened Post Elections?
- The main opposition candidate, Cellou Dalein Diallo, was held under de facto house arrest, without charge, from October 20 to October 28.
- One of Guinea’s main online news outlets was suspended from October 18 to November 2.
- Internet and telephone networks were disrupted between October 23 and 27 making it difficult to get information or reports on unfolding events.
Why This Matters
While civil unrest and military coups are not uncommon in Guinea it is one of the countries in Africa without prolonged civil wars. The events of the past weeks, however, appear to be putting the country on the edge of prolonged political unrests. Also, President Condé’s insistence on a third term despite widespread protests regresses the democratic gains the country has made from over a decade ago when he came into power in Guinea’s first democratic election since it gained independence from France in 1958.
Bottomline
Despite being one of the largest exporters of bauxite in Africa, the Guinean economy struggles and most of its population remains poor. Political unrest during a global pandemic will deepen these problems.
