Guinea's junta suspends three main political parties

CONAKRY - Guinea's junta has suspended three main political parties -- including that of former president Alpha Conde -- for three months, ahead of an electoral campaign for a rewrite of the constitution, according to an order seen by AFP on Saturday.

The move came as the main parties and civil society groups in the west African nation readied to hold demonstrations from September 5 to condemn what they see as a power grab by the head of the junta, General Mamadi Doumbouya.

A referendum on revising the constitution is to be held on September 21.

As well as Conde's Rally of the Guinean People, the order suspends the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, led by former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, and the Party of Renewal and Progress.

"These parties have not fulfilled the obligations required of them," the order stated.

In a separate order read on state television late Friday, the junta also declared that the start of the election campaign period for the revised constitution had been pushed back a week, to August 31.

The country's opposition has come out against the referendum on a new constitution organised by Doumbouya, who took power in September 2021 when a coup toppled Conde, who had been president for 10 years.

Doumbouya's military-run government has banned all demonstrations since 2022, and has arrested, prosecuted or pushed into exile several opposition leaders.

A draft constitution was presented to the junta leader in June.

Its text opens the way to a return to civilian rule, though it does not make clear whether Doumbouya could stand as a candidate in the next presidential election.

A "transition charter" drawn up by the junta shortly after the coup had stipulated that none of its leaders, government members of heads of institutions would be able to stand in elections.

The adoption of a new constitution could do away with that restriction, in a country that has spent decades ruled by dictatorial governments.