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Guineaâs Prime Minister Backs off Involvement in Presidential Run-Off

   Peter Clottey 23 August 2010
   Burkina   Faso   President   Blaise  Compaore,  right,  greets  Guinea
   presidential frontrunner Cellou Dalein Diallo (file photo)

Photo: AP

   Burkina   Faso   President   Blaise  Compaore,  right,  greets  Guinea
   presidential  frontrunner  Cellou  Dalein  Diallo,  as  he  meets with
   members  of  the  transitional  government  at  the People's Palace in
   Conakry, Guinea, 3 Aug 2010 (file photo)

   The  president of Guineaâs Research Institute on Democracy and Rule of
   Law, a non-governmental organization, said the prime minister seems to
   have  backed  off  support  of  controversial  amendments  in both the
   constitution  and  the  electoral  code  ahead  of the 19^th September
   second round presidential vote.

   Attorney  Thierno  Balde  said  Guineans  are  sharply  opposed to the
   amendments  describing  them as a constitutional coup dâétat which he
   said is aimed at hijacking the run-off election.

   âGuineans  are  determined not to allow any modification or amendments
   of  the  constitution and the electoral code. They will like to really
   go  ahead  to organize the second round of the election and really get
   on with the electoral process,â he said.

   Attorney  Balde  said  there  were reported meetings between President
   Sekouba   Konate   and   Prime  Minister  Jean-Marie  Dore  about  the
   possibility  of  reviewing  the constitution, as well as the electoral
   code, ahead of the vote.

   Prime  Minister  Dore  wanted a change in the electoral code to enable
   him  participate  in  organizing  the  run-off alongside the electoral
   commission.

   Supporters of Cellou Dalein Diallo, who had the most votes in the 27th
   June  first round election, accuse the prime minister of attempting to
   rig  the  second  round  in favor of long time opposition leader Alpha
   Conde.

   But,  the  prime  minister  dismissed  the accusation saying he has no
   preferred choice among the two presidential aspirants.

   Guineaâs   Independent   Electoral   Commission  is  mandated  by  the
   constitution to organize elections in the country.

   International  poll  observer  groups  said  the  27th  June  vote was
   credible  despite  isolated  reports  of  voter irregularities. It was
   Guineaâs   first   democratic   vote  since  the  country  gained  its
   independence in 1958 from France.

   But,  Attorney  Balde said the electoral body is capable of organizing
   the run-off vote without any help despite claims by the prime minister
   that the electoral body is incapable of organizing it.

   âAccording  to him (the prime minister), the electoral commission does
   not  have  the  capability  to  organize  this  election  without  the
   assistance   of   the   Ministry   of   Interior,  meaning  the  local
   authoritiesâ¦in the country,â Balde said.

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