(Western Africa) (4 minutes read)
Guinea went to the poll yesterday (Sunday) to elect their next president
It was a tense presidential election, where 82 year old –old incumbent Alpha Conde running for a controversial third term by- passing the constitutional two- term limit
The second round of the election is scheduled for November 24.
Guinea went to the poll yesterday (Sunday) to elect their next president. It was a tense presidential election, where 82 year old -old incumbent Alpha Conde running for a controversial third term by- passing the constitutional two- term limit. The move has created flutter but Conde seems to be not perturbed by the criticism both from within the country and outside. Mass protests against his decision to contest had caused deaths of at least a dozen people.
Conde’s leading rival in the fray is Cellou Dalein Diallo. Diallo, (68). He was formerly a prime minister under Lansana Conte. During the campaign of the first round, both the contenders engaged in insulting each other. There were also instances of violence in
certain pockets of the country.
A string of elections in West Africa is scheduled after Guinea. Most of these elections have evoked controversies. The other countries going to polls in West Africa in the near future are Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Niger.
There are staunch critics of Conde who calls him authoritarian and feel that another term could bode ill for democratic norms in the region. There are also supporters for the president who feel that he only could boost the economy of the nation of some 13 million people, to tackle corruption and indiscipline in the country. Conde has promised to make Guinea the second most powerful country in Africa, after Nigeria. Guinea is rich in mineral resources, such as bauxite, iron and gold, and has abundant fresh-water resources. Yet, it remains one of the poorest countries in Africa. The second round of the election is scheduled for November 24.
