There has been a mixed reaction from political stakeholders in Guinea to President Alpha Conde’s proposed drafting of a new constitution, with some subscribing to it while others voice vehement opposed to it.
By Sadjo Diallo
According to Bah Oury, president of the Union for Democracy and Development (UDD), by his readiness to craft a new constitution despite its unconstitutionality, President Condé is plunging Guinea into “uncertainty” and opens the way to “the destabilising the country.
“ECOWAS is thus directly involved,” Bah said, while stressing that the implications of President Condé’s moves go beyond the Guinean border.
“His decision is thus an additional source of tension and conflict in the region,” he opined.
However, Alhousseini Makanera, a former Communication minister sees it diffferently, claiming that Conde has just offered Guinea an opportunity.
“The new constitution takes into account the expectations of the current generation without obscuring the faith of future generations” he said.
According to the former prime minister, the president, “as a good democrat, has put himself above the fray and listened to the people.”
He added: “After consulting many Guineans through the Prime Minister, he prepared a new constitution to send us to a referendum. Only the referendum will tell us which side the majority of Guineans are on” he added.
In an address to the nation on Thursday evening, President Condé announced the drafting of a new constitution, which he said would be popularised among Guineans before its adoption.
The drafting of a new constitution is being rejected by civil society organisations and the opposition who believe that it aims is to allow the incumbent president to run for a third term.
Conde’s second five year term ends in 2020.
SD/te/lb/as/APA