Guinea: No election before general census, transitional authorities say

In Guinea, Mohamed Béavogui’s government announced Friday the return of constitutional order wouldn’t take place before a general census was conducted.

The condition was listed among 10 other prerequisites amongst which:

"administrative census for civil status purposes", the publication of" voter registration lists", the "drafting of the new Constitution", "organization of the referendum ballot", "drafting of organic laws", then, the "organizing local elections" followed by legislative elections, the "establishment of national institutions resulting from the new Constitution" and eventually "a presidential election".

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Devolution, presented the different steps without ever giving a precise timetable.

The statement comes after Ecowas president Jean-Claude Kassi Brou gave Guinea’s leader Colonel Doumbouya until April 22 to deliver a timeline on democratic elections. He warning that otherwise, the country would face further sanctions.

4 more years?

"Mr. Minister, we have at least four years to go, and if that is the case, it is the duty of a legal regime to do everything you propose," said Cheick Tidiane Traoré, leader of the Movement for the Republic (MPR).

Colonel Mamady Doumbouya took power on September 5, 2021 in Conakry, overthrowing President Alpha Conde, whose last few years as head of state were marked by months of severely repressed protests.

Refusing to be dictated to by ECOWAS or anyone else, the officer said the timetable would be set by the National Transitional Council (CNT), an assembly that acts as a legislative body. Its 81 members were appointed by the Colonel-President himself and they've been in office since February.

ECOWAS, insisted in vain on the need to hold elections within six months of the September coup. The regional body suspended Guinea from and imposed sanctions on members of the junta.