Guinea Opposition Leader Diallo Endorses Coup Against Conde

Guinea’s opposition leader Cellou Diallo has welcomed the coup that ousted Alpha Conde from power expressing his willingness to work with the junta.

The military spent its first full day in charge of the West African country as soldiers are still manning roadblocks in the capital, Conakry, and some roads remained cut off to civilian traffic.

In a press conference on Monday, opposition leader Diallo said he was willing to work with the junta, a major endorsement from the political class for coup leader Mamady Doumbouya.

“The CNRD (National Committee for Rally and Development) can count on the support of the National Alliance for Change and Democracy (ANAD) in the effort to build a peaceful democracy in our country,” said Diallo.

“This is an opportunity to pay tribute to all Guineans inside and outside the country, whose mobilization contributed to the fall of this dictatorship, and to honour the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the advent of September 5, 2021 (date of the coup)”).

The country faces a major political uncertainty regardless. Alpha Conde had only been re-elected for a third presidential term last November. The military has not revealed a broader plan for governing the country, other than an announcement to replace regional governors with military commanders.

Some fear that the coup will mark the return of military rule to Guinea, a country that’s no stranger to volatility.

“If this situation continues, the army may return to power, because everything was already planned. Just think, we have a country where a professor (Alpha Conde) comes to power, and we are told that he is a professor of law, so there was hope in Guinea that we would experience a handover of power for the first time in the Republic of Guinea.

“But unfortunately, the professor was deceived by his entourage and finally, he fell for his own trap,” said François Kolié, an activist.

Mamady Doumbouya, a former French army officer cited poverty and corruption as justification for his coup.

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