Guinea’s opposition coalition to hold demonstration in capital Conakry
Guinea’s opposition coalition, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution, will hold a demonstration in Conakry today to protest a constitutional amendment proposed by President Alpha Conde that allows him to run for a third term in office.
Protests against the amendment and Conde’s administration began in mid-October. There is no indication that they will end in the near future; opposition leader as Cellou Diallo has called for protests to continue until Conde concedes his efforts to serve a third term. Conde is unlikely to budge, indicating that there will be a referendum on the change.
In addition to the amendment, demonstrators are also taking aim at Conde’s staunch military rule. Before becoming the first democratically elected Guinean president in 2010, the country was ruled by a military dictatorship. Protesters feel Conde is continuing his predecessor’s harsh rule.
Expect Conde to employ both Guinean police and armed forces to quell protests and ensure that the amendment ultimately passes. In past demonstrations, Guineans have been shot and killed, and opposition leaders have been barred from leaving their homes. Conde has indicated he will likely use the same tactics to prevent the nascent protests from growing.
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