The military government of Guinea has suspended the country’s three leading opposition parties for 90 days, only a few weeks away from a constitutional referendum scheduled for September 21.
The suspended parties are the former President Alpha Conde’s Rally of the Guinean People, the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, and the Party of Renewal and Progress.
According to the military, the suspension was because the parties in question failed to comply with their obligations. The timing of the events is very important as the opposition groups and civil society organizations were getting ready for demonstrations that would start on September 5 and which they would protest against what they called the seizure of power by General Mamady Doumbouya.
Doumbouya took over in September 2021, after he ousted Conde who had been president for ten years. Although at first, he pledged to promote democracy and provide more political space, his government has banned all protests since 2022 and has repressed the opposition through arrests, prosecutions, and forced exile.
The draft constitution referendum is about a draft constitution that opens the door to civilian rule but does not specify whether it is the case of Doumbouya that is the subject. This has led the opposition to suspect that he might have ulterior motives regarding the democratic transition in Guinea.
The current transition declaration, which was set up after the coup, is very clear that military leaders are not allowed to take part in elections in the future However, if a new constitution is adopted, it might get rid of these limitations, hence give Doumbouya the chance to run for office legally.
Furthermore, the long period of time when Guinea was under the harsh rule of dictators provide insight into the tensions taking place now around the constitutional process and the way the military is dealing with the political opponents.
