Guinea's main opposition leader, Cellou Dalein Diallo, has declared that "direct resistance" is now the only remaining path to change after the authorities dissolved 40 political parties. The government accused the parties of failing to comply with legal requirements, a charge that has been rejected by the affected groups.

This move comes two months after former junta leader Mamady Doumbouya was sworn in as president following an election that saw key challengers barred from running. Doumbouya, who seized power in 2021 by overthrowing Alpha Condé, has faced accusations of cracking down on democratic freedoms. Among the dissolved parties are the Rally of the People of Guinea of former President Alpha Condé and Diallo's Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea; Diallo is currently living in exile.

Late last Friday, Guinea's Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization announced in a decree that the headquarters and local offices of 40 political parties would be closed, and their logos, acronyms, and other symbols banned from use. The parties' assets have been confiscated, and all offices sealed. The ministry claimed the parties had not met legal obligations, including submitting mandatory financial statements, but several dissolved groups have refuted these allegations, insisting they fulfilled all requirements under the law, as reported by Reuters.

In a video statement released on social media on Sunday, Diallo asserted that the decree signified "war has been openly declared" against those challenging President Doumbouya. He argued that political change would no longer be achievable through dialogue or democratic processes, adding that the junta leader and his "malevolent clique" aim to erase all forces that could overshadow his "nascent one-party state." Jean-Marc Telliano, a former minister and president of the Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea, also criticized the decision, vowing to use all legal means to restore his party's rights.

The dissolution of the parties occurs just two months ahead of legislative elections, marking another critical step in Guinea's troubled transition from military to civilian rule. This action follows a similar move in Burkina Faso, where authorities banned all political parties on January 29 as the junta there seeks to consolidate power in the coup-affected nation.

Source: www.bbc.com