President Alpha Condé of Guinea, speaking at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London, 20 January 2020 (Credit: DFID – UK Department for International Development)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The African Union strongly condemned the military coup in Guinea that forced long-time President Alpha Condé from power and is demanding his immediate release. Soldiers in West African nation Guinea detained President Condé on Sunday after an apparent coup. The soldiers have announced that the government had been dissolved.
“The current President of the African Union H.E. Felix Tshisekedi and the Chairman of the Commission from the African Union H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat condemn any seizure of power by force and demand the immediate release of President Alpha Conde. They invite the Peace and Security Council to The African Union to meet urgently to examine the new situation in Guinea and to take appropriate measures in the circumstance.”
-Joint statement from African Union Sep. 5, 2021.
President Conde is 83-years-old and his second and final five-year term in office was supposed to end in 2020. Mass protests erupted in Guinea at the time , with numerous persons killed during demonstrations calling for Conde to give up power. Conde went on to win the October 2020 election , with dozens of opposition reported killed.
Protestors Have Called For Conde To Give Up Power
(Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Protesters rally in Manhattan Jan. 13, 2020, to demand that Guinea President Alpha Conde respect the constitution and not seek another term in power in the West African nation.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO Protests Against Guinea President Alpha Conde, New York City Jan. 13, 2020.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO Protests Against Guinea President Alpha Conde, New York City Jan. 13, 2020.
“HE WANTS TO STEAL OUR CONSTITUTION TO HELP HIMSELF STAY IN POWER FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. THERE IS NO FREE SPEECH. BECAUSE OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, THEY KILL YOU. THIS DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!”
