Dianké MANÉ
Sep 27, 2024 at 09:41
Guinea’s presidency denied Thursday that “shots” had been fired near the presidential palace in the capital Conakry, where special forces were deployed according to local media. “A wild rumor of alleged shootings at the Presidency of the Republic has been spread in the city and abroad,” the presidency said. “These rumors are false and fabricated,” she added.
The local press had previously indicated that residents had been called to leave the Kaloum district, where the presidential palace, ministries, embassies and banks are located.
According to Guinea Matin and Guinea News, members of the special forces were on site.
“This +intoxication+ has led to a climate of panic in several places,” continued the presidency in a press release published on X and read on state television, assuring the population that they could resume their daily activities normally.
In 2021, gunfire in Kaloum preceded the coup that overthrew President Alpha Condé and installed the junta led by General Mamadi Doumbouya in power.
This has strengthened the repression of dissent, in particular by banning all demonstrations in 2022.
Under pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Guinea agreed to organize elections by the end of 2024 to put an end to a period described as “transition”.
However, she admitted that she was unable to keep this commitment.
The Guinean authorities, dominated by the military, presented a preliminary draft Constitution at the end of July with the aim of having it voted on by referendum before the end of the year. But no date has yet been set for submitting to the population this text rejected by the main opposition parties and civil society organizations.
