Guinea’s clergy want President Condé to restore harmony

English Africa Service - Vatican City.

According to RECOWA-CERAO News – the West African Catholic Bishops’ regional office, the Guinean priests have spoken out about the country’s deteriorating political climate which they described as fraught with “regionalism, nepotism, ethnocentrism, favoritism, injustice and clannism.”

President Condé’s third term bid

Guinea is currently in a state of increasing political turmoil as President Alpha Condé tries to extend his stay in power beyond the two constitutionally mandated limits. His second term is supposed to end this year.

Guinea has since seen many demonstrations, organised by the opposition and civil society. Most of the country’s young people are opposed to Condé’s Third Term bid. There have been more than 20 media-reported deaths since October 2019, in connection with the protests.

Restore peace and harmony

The country’s priests say repression by the country’s security forces grows worse by the day.

“The (current tension) is serious, because of loss of human lives and the destruction of property. All these are causing fear and (profound) sadness among the people,” say the clergy. They have called on the Republican President, Alpha Condé, as “the head of state, guarantor of national unity, to break the silence,” renounce his third term bid, respect the current constitution and bring about peace, harmony, reconciliation in the country.

“Our democracy is being flouted in the service of regionalism, nepotism, ethnocentrism, favoritism, injustice and clannism. Violence and unpunished crimes are on the increase,” the clergy denounced in a statement. 

They further invited the opposition groups to embrace dialogue as the way forward.