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GUINEA: New Constitution

GUINEA: New Constitution Among the provisions are the creation of the post of prime minister and a limit on presidential terms. The draft bill for the new constitution was submitted to interim President General Sekouba Konate on April 20th by the chairman of the National Transitional Council, Serah Diallo Rabiatou . The draft constitution proposes to provide a limit to the number and duration of presidential mandates to five years and renewable only once. It also proposes to provide the post of prime minister, according to Radio France Internationale (22/4) . PANA adds that the draft document states that all presidential candidates should be in good health, as certified by a college of sworn doctors appointed by the Constitutional Court and should be aged at least 35 years. Once elected, the president shall declare his assets. The draft constitution also contains provisions preventing the president and his family from purchasing or leasing property belonging to the State. The same rules apply to ministers, the chairperson of the National Assembly and all those who run republican institutions. The position of prime minister, head of government will also be entrenched. The prime minister will be appointed by the President of the Republic and will be in charge of leading, controlling and giving impetus to government‐led action. The new constitution also provides for a Constitutional Court, made up of nine members, only one of whom will be appointed by the president. Other members will be three judges, a lawyer and a law professor, all nominated by their peers and having 20 years of experience, two representatives of the national human rights organisation and a person appointed by the Office of the National Assembly. Meanwhile, General Konate announced in Conakry on April 25th that troops would be deployed at the borders as part of the preparations for the presidential elections scheduled to be held on June 27th. He said the aim was to prevent any foreign influence and intervention during the polls. Prime Minister Jean Marie Doré , said on April 28th that the army was on red alert in N’Zérékoré in the south to suppress any movement supporting the former junta leader, Moussa Dadis Camara . (PANA, Conakry 16, 26,28/4) Trade Union Leader Killed: Thousands of Guineans turned out on April 19th for the funeral of Ibrahima Fofana , the head of one of the country’s biggest labour unions, and three others killed with him in a car crash. The authorities declared the day a public holiday to allow people to pay homage to Fofana, of the Union of Workers of Guinea , and another union leader, Magbe Bangoura . Two state television journalists were killed with them in the April 16th accident. Fofana had been presented as a possible independent candidate in the June 27th presidential election. The trade union leader shot to prominence in 2006 and 2007 during huge demonstrations against the regime of the late strongman Lansana Conte , who ruled from 1984 to 2008. After Conte died and a military regime stepped in, Fofana was a leading member of the Forum of Active Forces , a coalition of parties, trade unions and civil associations that contested the junta’s rule. (©AFP, Conakry 19/4 2010) Election date set p. 18328B http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series Wiley

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2010
ISSN
0001-9844
eISSN
1467-825X
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-825X.2010.03210.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Among the provisions are the creation of the post of prime minister and a limit on presidential terms. The draft bill for the new constitution was submitted to interim President General Sekouba Konate on April 20th by the chairman of the National Transitional Council, Serah Diallo Rabiatou . The draft constitution proposes to provide a limit to the number and duration of presidential mandates to five years and renewable only once. It also proposes to provide the post of prime minister, according to Radio France Internationale (22/4) . PANA adds that the draft document states that all presidential candidates should be in good health, as certified by a college of sworn doctors appointed by the Constitutional Court and should be aged at least 35 years. Once elected, the president shall declare his assets. The draft constitution also contains provisions preventing the president and his family from purchasing or leasing property belonging to the State. The same rules apply to ministers, the chairperson of the National Assembly and all those who run republican institutions. The position of prime minister, head of government will also be entrenched. The prime minister will be appointed by the President of the Republic and will be in charge of leading, controlling and giving impetus to government‐led action. The new constitution also provides for a Constitutional Court, made up of nine members, only one of whom will be appointed by the president. Other members will be three judges, a lawyer and a law professor, all nominated by their peers and having 20 years of experience, two representatives of the national human rights organisation and a person appointed by the Office of the National Assembly. Meanwhile, General Konate announced in Conakry on April 25th that troops would be deployed at the borders as part of the preparations for the presidential elections scheduled to be held on June 27th. He said the aim was to prevent any foreign influence and intervention during the polls. Prime Minister Jean Marie Doré , said on April 28th that the army was on red alert in N’Zérékoré in the south to suppress any movement supporting the former junta leader, Moussa Dadis Camara . (PANA, Conakry 16, 26,28/4) Trade Union Leader Killed: Thousands of Guineans turned out on April 19th for the funeral of Ibrahima Fofana , the head of one of the country’s biggest labour unions, and three others killed with him in a car crash. The authorities declared the day a public holiday to allow people to pay homage to Fofana, of the Union of Workers of Guinea , and another union leader, Magbe Bangoura . Two state television journalists were killed with them in the April 16th accident. Fofana had been presented as a possible independent candidate in the June 27th presidential election. The trade union leader shot to prominence in 2006 and 2007 during huge demonstrations against the regime of the late strongman Lansana Conte , who ruled from 1984 to 2008. After Conte died and a military regime stepped in, Fofana was a leading member of the Forum of Active Forces , a coalition of parties, trade unions and civil associations that contested the junta’s rule. (©AFP, Conakry 19/4 2010) Election date set p. 18328B

Journal

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural SeriesWiley

Published: May 1, 2010

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