Guinea’s military junta appointed a veteran opposition leader as the country’s new prime minister, a crucial step that sets the stage for the military to cede power to civilians in elections within the next six months.
Jean-Marie Dore is an outspoken critic of junta leader Captain Moussa “Dadis” Camara and was brutally beaten by his soldiers when he helped lead a demonstration calling for an end to military rule.
The appointment on Tuesday came as General Sekouba Konate, who persuaded Camara to step aside and accept a transition to civilian rule, returned to Conakry amid extremely tight security.
Konate descended from a private jet and shook hands with members of Guinea’s junta before being whisked away in a convoy of around 30 pickup trucks packed with soldiers.
The general, who is the No. 2 in the West African country’s junta, had spent the past six days in Burkina Faso negotiating the departure of Guinea’s military strongman. At one point, Konate drafted a four-page resignation letter when it appeared that Camara would not step down.
Under intense pressure, Camara agreed to go into exile due to his failing health. He gave the go-ahead to the appointment of a civilian prime minister and the holding within six months of multiparty elections in which no member of the military would be allowed to run.
The elated opposition planned a hero’s welcome for Konate, and thousands of Guineans had been expected to go to the airport. But late Tuesday a government spokesman said only members of the government would be allowed to greet him.
Hundreds of heavily armed soldiers deployed around the airport hours before his arrival, blocking roads, turning back cars and forcing shops to close amid concerns that soldiers loyal to the exiled coup leader did not back the transition to civilian rule.
Junta loyalists chartered a private plane last week and flew to Burkina Faso, vowing not to return to Guinea without Camara, their 46-year-old chief, who was badly wounded in an assassination attempt. Some of them wept on Sunday when a gaunt Camara read a prepared statement, often losing his place as he announced that he supported the transition to democracy.
Idrissa Cherif, the information minister for the junta that seized power just over a year ago, said Camara and Konate had agreed on the choice of Dore for interim prime minister.
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