Guinea’s ruling military junta has suspended three of the country’s most influential political parties — including that of ousted president Alpha Condé — in the lead-up to a controversial constitutional referendum scheduled for September 21.
According to an order obtained by AFP on Saturday, the Rally of the Guinean People (RPG), Condé’s party, the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), led by former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, and the Party of Renewal and Progress have been barred from political activities for three months.
The junta justified the suspension by claiming the parties had “not fulfilled the obligations required of them.” However, political analysts say the move is widely seen as an attempt by General Mamadi Doumbouya, who seized power in a September 2021 coup, to weaken opposition resistance ahead of the referendum.
Civil society groups and opposition parties had planned mass demonstrations beginning September 5 to denounce what they describe as a “power grab” by Doumbouya, who has ruled with heavy restrictions on dissent since taking office. Public protests have been banned nationwide since 2022, while several opposition figures have been jailed, prosecuted, or forced into exile.
In a separate announcement on state television Friday night, the junta also postponed the official launch of the referendum campaign from August 24 to August 31.
The draft constitution, presented to Doumbouya in June, is intended to pave the way for a return to civilian rule. Yet, it remains unclear whether the new charter will maintain restrictions barring junta leaders from contesting future elections. The original “transition charter” issued after the 2021 coup had explicitly prohibited Doumbouya and his allies from seeking office.
Observers warn that lifting such restrictions could potentially allow Doumbouya to extend his stay in power — a move likely to heighten political tensions in a country with a long history of authoritarian rule and military takeovers.
