A former opposition presidential candidate in Guinea is calling for temporary military rule. Mamadou Ba says President Lansana Conte’s illness is raising fears of instability. He said a transitional military administration would be the lesser of two evils because, in his words, it may save Guinea from the sort of anarchy facing neighboring Ivory Coast and Liberia.
Among the analysts closely following political developments in Guinea is Professor Herbert Ekwekwe, a consultant on francophone Africa, formerly with the International Institute for African Research in Senegal. He told English to Africa reporter Richard Kotey that the opposition leader’s call is most unfortunate and that it shows the level of opportunism in those who have been involved in the politics of Guinea and elsewhere in Africa.
Professor Ekwekwe said the Guinean constitution clearly spells out the issue of succession in case the president becomes incapacitated or dies while in office, and he said it does not call for the military to intervene. He said he does not understand why such a prominent politician as Mr. Ba would call on soldiers to step in temporarily when the president is ill.
Professor Ekwekwe said the call is not genuine, is undemocratic, and should not be taken seriously. He noted that the call came at a time when Guinea has assumed the presidency on the UN Security Council – and that it made the country something of a laughing stock in the international arena.
Click above links to hear full kotey interview with Professor Ekwekwe.