AU calls for change of rules before Guinea elections

(PANA)-- The African Union (AU) has called for minor constitutional amendments in Guinea, a review of the voting rules and the extension of the voters’ registration exercise, to accommodate thousands of other Guineans in exile across West Africa.

The AU peace and security council (PSC), meeting Thursday to examine the political progress made towards returning Guinea to civilian rule, said the Independent Electoral Commission should undertake a review of the voting rules and voters’register.

Zambia’s ambassador Albert Muchanga said the PSC was pleased with the existing cooperation between the junta and its partners in the interim government. He expressed the hope that the cooperation between the two parties would still be in place until the country returns to civilian rule.

PSC said it recognised the 15 January political deal between the Guinean military government and the former opposition group, Forces Vibes, as the only lawful approach to returning to civilian rule and said the agreement should be respected ahead of the vote.

The AU said the Guinean authorities should push for amendments to the constitution and extend the voters’registration to other West African nations, where Guineans live.

AU commissioner for peace and security Ramtane Lamamra said other than reforming the security sector, mainly targeting the army and the police, Guineans should also introduce reforms to the constitution. It was not immediately clear what kinds of constitutional safeguards the AU is seeking to ensure the presidential vote in Guinea is transparent.

Lamamra said, however, that the independent electoral body should also review the Code of Conduct for elections before the 27 June presidential elections. According to him, AU has had extensive interactions with the key political players in Conakry to discuss the preparations for the country’s elections.

The CNDD (National Council for the Defence of Democracy) seized power after the death of Guinea’s long-serving President Lansana Conte in December 2008. Efforts to have the West African nation’s ruling military junta organise elections and return to civilian rule suffered setbacks when CNDD leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, insisted on running for elections against the AU advise.

The AU slapped sanctions against him and members of his regime after he failed to back off. However, Captain Camara, who was shot and seriously wounded by his bodyguard after a disagreement, has renounced his intentions to stay in power.

Lamamra said the AU would not lift the sanctions it slapped on Guinea until the country’s power returns to a purely civilian government. ‘We have presented a hopeful report on the situation in Guinea’, Lamamra told journalists after briefing the 15 PSC members about the situation in Guinea.

‘We took note of the formation of the institutions of government and we asked the authorities to implement the security reforms targeting the military ahead of the presidential election’, he added.

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