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Guineaâs Electoral Chief to Meet Candidates Friday

   Peter Clottey 21 October 2010
   The  new president of the electoral committee in Guinea Malian General
   Siaka Toumany Sangare poses for a photograph in Conakry 20 Oct 2010

Photo: AFP

   The  new president of the electoral committee in Guinea Malian General
   Siaka Toumany Sangare poses for a photograph in Conakry 20 Oct 2010

   A  human  rights  activist  said  Guineaâs  newly  appointed electoral
   commission chairman is scheduled to meet Friday with both presidential
   aspirants  before announcing whether the run-off vote could proceed as
   planned on Sunday.

   Attorney  Thierno  Balde,  president of Guineaâs Research Institute on
   Democracy  and  the Rule of Law, a non-governmental organization, said
   Guineans  are  expressing  concerns  about  another  election delay in
   Sundayâs vote.

   âYesterday,  he  (new electoral commission chairman) met the electoral
   commission  and  the  members  of  the transitional council, and he is
   supposed  to meet today with the two political parties. And then he is
   expected to make an announcement whether he will be able to announce a
   new  date  for  the election or if it will be held (on) Sunday,â Balde
   said.

   General   Siaka   Toumany   Sangare,  the  new  chairman  of  Guineaâs
   Independent   Electoral   Commission   (CENI)   reportedly  chaired  a
   discussion with officials of the electoral body Thursday on whether to
   hold the country's presidential run-off vote on Sunday as scheduled.

   Sangare  later  met  with  interim  Prime  Minister  Jean  Marie-Dore.
   Attorney  Balde  said  the logistical challenges could derail Sundayâs
   vote.

   Sangare's  appointment  this  week  ended  a  political  dispute  that
   threatened  to  derail  the  run-off for a third time in three months.
   Presidential   candidate   Cellou  Dalein  Diallo  said  the  previous
   commission chief was biased in favor of his opponent, Alpha Conde.

   Balde  said  Guineans  are  anxious  to  vote in Sundayâs presidential
   run-off.

   âIn fact, most of the people will like really this election to be held
   on  Sunday. But, technically, there might be some issues because since
   there was lack of a legitimate president (of electoral body) for weeks
   some  of  the measures that were supposed to be taken put on hold. And
   now there is a new president he has to make sure that all of the steps
   will be taken,â he said.

   Efforts  to hold the vote have also been marred by logistical problems
   and  election-related  violence.  Police  Tuesday  fired on pro-Diallo
   demonstrators  in  the  capital  of  Conakry, killing two and wounding
   dozens more.

   Both  candidates continued campaigning Thursday while officials talked
   in  Conakry.  Mr.  Diallo  won  the  first  round  of the presidential
   election  in  June  with  44 percent of the vote. Mr. Conde was second
   with 18 percent.

   Sundayâs  vote  will be Guinea's first multi-party election after more
   than 50 years of dictatorship or military rule.

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