Former Guinean president Alpha Conde has expressed remorse for appointing as head of the Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who went on to overthrow him.
These are regretful times for Conde, who has been on a medical trip to Turkey since last May.
In an exchange reported by François Soudan of Jeune Afrique, the former Guinean leader revealed some confidential views on the choice of the one who overthrew him on September 5, 2021, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, until then commander of the Special Forces.
“Doumbouya’s CV was never submitted to me, if I had known that he was a former French legionnaire, I would never have appointed him,” Condé told his interlocutor.
He confided that he had not appointed Lieutenant Colonel Doumbouya to head this special unit, which is supposed to be deployed on the border with Mali to protect Guinea from infiltration by jihadist elements.
According to the ousted leader, the manoeuvres came from a “pressure group” composed of his then Prime Minister, Kassory Fofana, the Minister of Defence, Mohamed Diané, his special adviser Tibou Kamara and General Namory Traoré.
Almost a year ago, Lieutenant-Colonel Doumbouya took power by force in Guinea.
The 41-year-old army officer, who was appointed commander of the Guinean army’s Special Forces Group in 2018, was a member of the French Foreign Legion where he rose to the rank of master corporal.
Guineans discovered this imposing man the same year, on the occasion of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the country’s independence at the Stade du 28 Septembre in the capital, Conakry.
CD/te/lb/as/APA