Guinea’s ruling junta on Tuesday, February 21, 2024, ordered its government members’ passports to be seized and their bank accounts frozen after dissolving the administration for as yet unknown reasons.
Guinea’s self-appointed military leaders that seized power more than two years ago, on Monday dissolved the government and is set to appoint a new one.
The presidency’s secretary general made this known in a filmed statement on Monday, noting that directors of cabinet, secretary generals and their deputies would be in charge until a new government was formed.
The government has been in office since July 2022, while the West African country has been under military rule since a junta seized power in a September 2021 coup.
However, AFP reports that the junta on Tuesday ordered the dissolved government members’ bank accounts be frozen, their travel documents taken away and their service vehicles, bodyguards and assistants be removed.
The chief of staff General Ibrahima Sory Bangoura who said on state television in the presence of around 20 other soldiers did not give any reason yet publicly for the measures.
The junta in Guinea, like many of those who have seized power in West Africa since 2020, has put fighting corruption at the forefront of its agenda.
Public broadcaster RTG ran a three-minute tribute to junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, stating he was “reaffirming his leadership and proving that he remains the sole master”.
The broadcast spoke of “moments of adversity”, without specifying further.
Tensions have been recently reported between members of the government, and at the beginning of this month, the capital Conakry witnessed a rare protest.
