Guinea: Internal crisis as president sacks ministers

Guinea’s president, Alpha Conde has sacked his influential Communication Minister and three others after they criticised his speech.

The decision was communicated through a presidential decree.

Other ministers affected include, Alhousseiny Makanera Kaka, Chairman of the House commission on economic and financial affairs, Ousmane Kaba and a party stalwart, Mamadou Diawara.

President Conde has also summoned a fourth member of the ruling Rassemblement du Peuple de Guinea Coalition Arc en Ciel (RPG) to respond to queries on Monday.

He had described the officials as a “bunch of dishonest” ministers from the Malinke tribe, a community he also represents.

The president has also promised to expose those engaged in financial malpractices within the government adding that the culprits were mainly from his tribe.

He vowed never to protect anyone indulging in corruption and has also pledged to expose all cases of impunity in the country.

Responding to the president’s action, the sacked ministers expressed surprise, describing his speech as misplaced.

One of the dismissed officials, former Minister of Communication Makanéra Kaké, said he was very surprised because he could not see a structure that was able to exclude someone today in the RPG-Arc-en-ciel.

“The RPG-Arc-en-ciel is born of the merger of more than 50 political parties”, he said.

Another minister, Mamadou Diawara criticised the president for failing to organise a party congress since the ruling coalition was formed.

“Such a gathering would have helped to forestall the difficulties and mis-perceptions that are prevalent and undermining the development of the party”.

Alhousséiny Makanéra Kaké, said they should have created a party with the image of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC).

He complained that till date, the President has blocked all avenues, adding that since 1994, the RPG has never organized a Congress.