Guinea Dissolves Main Opposition Parties Amid Government Crackdown

Guinea Government Dissolves 40 Political Parties, Freezes Assets

The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation has issued a decree dissolving 40 political parties, including three main opposition groups, in Guinea. The move is seen as the final step towards a one-party state under President Mamady Doumbouya.

According to the decree, the parties failed to meet their legal obligations. As a result, the government has frozen their assets and banned the use of their names, logos, and emblems. A government-appointed curator will oversee the transfer of their holdings.

The three most prominent parties dissolved are the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), the Rally of the Guinean People (RPG), and the Union of Republican Forces (UFR). The UFDG leader, Cellou Dalein Diallo, has spoken out against the move from exile, accusing Doumbouya of dismantling democratic life to entrench his grip on power.

Ibrahima Diallo, a leader in the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution, has described the decree as “the final act of a true political farce” aimed at cementing single-party rule. The move is part of a sustained campaign against dissent under Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup.

Since taking power, Doumbouya’s government has shut down media outlets, banned protests, and arrested or driven into exile opposition figures and civil society activists. Several relatives of prominent dissidents have also been abducted, and two pro-democracy activists have been missing since July 2024.

The development is the latest in a wave of coups that have brought military leaders to power across Africa since 2020. The move has led to growing discontent with elected governments and the erosion of civil liberties.

Source: Al Jazeera