Guinea’s junta releases transition charter toward elections

By BOUBACAR DIALLO and CARLEY PETESCH
Associated Press

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Guinea’s military junta has released a transitional charter that outlines the missions and duties of the transitional government and bars any members of the junta from running in elections that will eventually return the West African nation to civilian rule.

Lt. Col. Mamady Doumbouya, who led the Sept. 5 coup, will serve as the president in a transition that will remain in place until it determines an election date. The charter was read out on state TV late Monday.

The charter outlines a government that is headed by a civilian prime minister and a National Transitional Council that will serve as parliament. The council will be composed of 81 members ranging from members of political parties to youth leaders, security forces, trade unions, business leaders and others. The body, which will include a president and two vice-presidents, must also have at least 30% women among its members. This council then determines the length of the transition.

However, all those taking part in the transition will be banned from running in the next national and local elections, the charter states, adding that this is “a provision that is not subject to revision.”

The charter also banned members of deposed president Alpha Conde’s party from running.

The transitional charter was drafted after weeks of meetings with various members of society, religious and political leaders and the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS which has imposed sanctions on members of the junta and their family. They are also calling for the release of Conde.

The military junta members say they overthrew Conde because of corruption and mismanagement.