Guinea in Retrospect: Celebrating 65 Years of Independence amidst Military Rule

Today marks the 65th anniversary of Guinea’s independence from French colonial rule and it is important to reflect on what Guinean independence celebrations looks like under the leadership of the junta which took power in a military coup in 2021.

On September 5th 2021, a group of Guinean military men, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, ousted sitting President Alpha Condé, citing his autocratic leadership and economic mismanagement as justification for the putsch. 

Since Doumbouya took over as interim president, the leadership of the junta has enforced a curfew, banned public demonstrations, and dissolved formal government institutions. 

Western countries such as France have been particularly concerned by the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where the military governments have moved to cut ties with their former colonial ruler and strengthen relations with Russia.

Although Doumbouya committed to freeing Guinea from Condé’s dictatorship and steering the nation till civilians could elect a new leader there has been little movement toward scheduling elections or restoring civilian democratic rule after 2 years in power. 

Further, the junta originally proposed a three-year plan for the transition to democratic leadership in Guinea and readjusted to a two-year plan after a swift rejection from ECOWAS. Despite this readjustment, many are wary of Doumbouya’s commitment to holding free and fair elections.  

There has been a rise in anti-junta protests in Guinea and a consequent escalation of state-sanctioned violence. On September 5th 2023, on the 2 year anniversary of the coup, the junta descended heavily on some neighbourhoods of Guinean activists and organizers who were planning demonstrations against junta rule. These protests led to least two are confirmed deaths and many more injured.

Despite this violent crackdown, the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC) has continued to call for the immediate return to civilian rule and has continued to organize demonstrations. There have also been reports about the organisation of public demonstrations on the eve of the country’s Independence day celebration.

It is the hope of activists and supporters of the Guinean constitution that these efforts will create a spectacle large enough to pressure Doumbouya into accelerating the transition to democracy and that this independence day will be Guinea’s last spent under undemocratic rule.