One of the fiercest critics of Guinea’s military junta became prime minister on Tuesday, a crucial step toward democracy that comes amid worries the country’s wounded coup leader is trying to influence the political process from exile.
Jean Marie Dore takes over as prime minister 13 months after the military seized power and dissolved the Constitution. He promised to steer the nation toward elections and said the military needs to be restructured for stability to take hold.
“I am committed to leading Guinea toward free, credible and transparent elections, which is a necessary passage for the country,” Dore said in a speech.
The appointment caps a sequence of events set in motion on Dec. 3 when Captain Moussa “Dadis” Camara, who took power in late 2008, was shot in the head by one of his aides and had to leave the country for emergency surgery.
Earlier this month, Camara agreed under intense pressure to stay in nearby Burkina Faso and not to return. He agreed to allow his No. 2 to appoint a civilian prime minister to prepare elections within six months in which no member of the military would be allowed to run.
Although many take heart from the quick appointment of Dore, some are worried by unconfirmed reports Camara is trying to meddle from the heavily guarded villa in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, where he is convalescing.
A retired diplomat close to the junta said Camara has been making phone calls to supporters and power brokers in Conakry in an effort to influence who will be appointed to the transitional government.
Other politicians said they had heard similar reports, but could not confirm them. Camara could not be reached for comment.
“If the reports of his meddling are true, it means that the situation is worrisome. We need to strip Dadis of all means of communication from his bed in Ouagadougou,” senior opposition official Oury Bah said. “There are so many ways for him to influence things via telephone.”
Junta spokesman Idrissa Cherif said General Sekouba Konate, who has led the junta since Camara’s shooting, will travel with Dore to Ouagadougou in the coming days to meet Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, who has mediated the crisis.
The retired diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the trip was aimed at discussing the possibility of moving Camara to another country outside the region to keep him from interfering.
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