Staff Writer

The Guinea junta on Monday unveiled a transitional charter and council on the path toward returning Guinea to constitutional democracy. This came almost a month after the September 5 coup. The transitional charter allows for the institution of an 81-member transitional council of officials from political parties, civil society and the military. Further, Mamady Doumbouya, the Lieutenant Colonel who led the coup, will be president, with the cabinet being led by a civilian prime minister, all of whom will not be able to stand in the next election. With no timeline for the transition having been provided, the regional ECOWAS bloc and African Union are yet to rule whether or not the country’s suspension and sanctions will be revoked in light of Monday’s announcement.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Dr Mostafa Mheta, head of the Media Review Network’s Africa Desk, argued that this uncertain transition is a result of lack of political acumen and vision, and that Doumbouya now no longer knows what to do with the power he now possesses, saying, “The country is in limbo and we don’t know where this will go…  He [Doumbouya] hasn’t mapped exactly what he wants to do, a roadmap at least to tell the people that, okay, we are going to be in this situation for this period, and then after that we will allow a return to democracy.”

Speaking on the MRN’s lodging of a case at the African Court on Human Rights over Israel’s being granted observer status in the AU, Metha argued that the case was strong, especially in light of Israel’s continued human rights abuses.  Metha also stated that “the ministers of foreign affairs from Africa will also be meeting this coming month, in October, to deliberate on that and there is consensus amongst many African countries to that effect that Israel must not be granted observer status.”

It is noteworthy that currently Israel is still likely to gain the support of most of the continent were an actual vote to be held , especially in light of Tel Aviv’s growing security ties with continental dictatorships. Further, there currently is no real method of revoking Israel’s observer status, which itself was obscurely granted.

In Mozambique, Mheta assessed the growing friction amongst Southern African Development Community states following the successes in pushing the Shabab group out of the port city of Mocimboa da Praia in August. This was especially in light of President Filipe Nyusi’s having shunned a joint SADC deployment in favour of Rwandan troops, whose deployment was also opposed by Mozambique’s opposition RENAMO. Many believe that the Rwandan deployment is a result of  Rwanda needing a base to hunt down dissidents in Southern Africa, “there could be a certain second motive for them to be there, which could be going after some of his [Kagame’s] opposition leaders who are in exile in Southern Africa; they are scattered in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, and  South Africa.

The assassination of Revocat Karemangingo, a former member of the Rwandan army, on September 14 does provide a justification for these assumptions – Karemanginga had previously complained about plots to assassinate him.

Lastly, in Zambia, Metha asserted that the country was moving in the correct direction, especially economically. He also commended the peaceful transfer of power and the new president’s decision to live in his own house and use commercial aircraft, in favour of returning the spend back to the country’s treasury. He did however note that caution should be exercised, especially since many regimes start with good intentions but then change, especially when there is a bid to hold onto power.