Colonel Mamady Doumbouya
The coup in Guinea, West Africa was executed not by a General but a Lieutenant Colonel. President Alpha Condé is under arrest and many Guinea nationals say, "Guinea is free". Guinea might be free for now, but their neighbours in Mali are counting their losses exactly one year after the military took over from Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (IBK). Nothing is going on well in Mali.
Leaders of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have already suspended Mali over its second coup in nine months and while talks on Mali are still underway, another member finds herself in a similar predicament and in dire need of regional intervention.
As usual, France, the United Nations and the European Union have said something. Threatening to sanction African countries conducting military coups is not enough neither is it effective to issue out political pronouncements condemning these acts. The African Union has demanded the immediate release of President Alpha Condé.
In a video that circulated on social media on Sunday, President Condé (83) was seen in an unusual presidential attire, barefoot and uncomfortably squashed on a sofa with soldiers surrounding him at his palace in the capital, Conakry.
Guinea is one of the world's poorest countries but rich in mineral resources. The soldiers appeared on national television claiming that they had dissolved both the government and the constitution. They claim to have taken over because of rampant corruption, mismanagement and poverty.
Reports say that, the coup was carried out by an elite unit headed by a former French legionnaire, Lt Col. Mamady Doumbouya. President Condé's whereabouts are unknown but what we already know is that, in a free Guinea, all the land and air borders are closed for a week.
Opposition supporters and activists took to the streets to celebrate the military take over but there is no absolute guarantee that the military will keep its promises. We have seen this in Zimbabwe, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and the list goes on.
Its quite ironic that the military junta promises to conduct stakeholder consultations with the public in a constitutional making process, when they didn't consult the public prior to the coup.
The military institution in Africa has given rise to securocratic states that have in-turn promoted authoritarian consolidation in many countries. This is a departure from the core obligations of a "free" and developmental state. Military states are strong and effective on oppression but weak on service delivery.
The situation in Guinea is unfolding rapidly and as it stands, the military is divided. The other part of the army is loyal to President Condé and this group is likely to strike back against the National Committee for Rally and Development, (CNRD).
The committee on development ordered local government officials to attend a meeting on Monday in Conakry or face consequences. That is how national development looks like in a free Guinea today. Politics should lead the gun and not the other way round.
The political instability of Guinea has ramifications for West Africa and the global economy. The country is one of the largest suppliers of bauxite, a key source of aluminium. Any disruption in Guinea can severely impact the prices of commodities.
A successful coup attempt is a gradual degradation of the democratic values in the region and could further destabilise the West African region that is already vulnerable to Islamist militants. The CNRD's actions could worsen the economic crisis in Guinea and increase the Covid-19 cases.
The coup in Guinea is the fourth in West Africa in just over a year. There have been two military takeovers in Mali and a failed attempt in Niger since August, 2020. The consequences of political unrest in Africa ultimately affects ordinary Africans. We must demilitarize our societies and keep soldiers in the barracks.
@stajicesimmz