Opposition Leader Calls for Resistance
Cellou Dalein Diallo, Guinea's principal opposition figure, has declared that "direct resistance" against the country's coup leader-turned-president is now the sole viable option for political change. This statement follows the government's dissolution of 40 political parties.
The authorities justified the dissolution by accusing these parties of failing to comply with legal requirements, allegations the parties have firmly denied.
Context of Political Changes
This development occurred two months after Mamady Doumbouya, the former head of the junta, was inaugurated as president. The election that brought him to power was marked by the exclusion of several significant challengers.
Doumbouya initially seized power in 2021 by overthrowing former President Alpha Condé and has since faced accusations of suppressing democratic freedoms.
Parties Affected by Dissolution
Among the parties dissolved were the Rally of the People of Guinea, led by former President Alpha Condé, and Diallo's Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea. Diallo is currently living in exile.
On the evening of Friday, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation issued a decree ordering the closure of the headquarters and local offices of these 40 political parties. The decree also banned the use of their logos, acronyms, and other identifying symbols.
Additionally, the parties' assets have been seized and all their offices sealed.
Government's Justification and Parties' Response
The ministry stated that the parties failed to meet legal obligations, including the submission of mandatory financial statements. Several of the dissolved parties have rejected these claims, maintaining that they fulfilled all legal requirements, according to reports from .
Opposition's Reaction
In a video statement posted on social media on Sunday, Diallo asserted that the decree represented an open declaration of war against those opposing President Doumbouya.
"The head of the junta and his malevolent clique want to rewrite the country's history by erasing from the political landscape all forces likely to overshadow his nascent one-party state," Diallo said.
"Political change will not come through dialogue or democratic processes," he added.
Other Political Figures Respond
Jean-Marc Telliano, former minister and president of the Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea, also condemned the decision. quoted him stating that his party would contest the dissolution and
"will use all legal means to have our rights restored."
Upcoming Elections and Regional Context
The dissolution of these parties occurs just two months before legislative elections, a critical phase in Guinea's transition from military to civilian governance.
Guinea's actions mirror those taken in Burkina Faso, where authorities banned all political parties on 29 January as the military junta sought to consolidate control in the aftermath of a coup.
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