Mamady Doumbouya

Mamady Doumbouya
ߡߊ߬ߡߊߘߌ߫ ߘߎ߲ߓߎߦߊ߫
Doumbouya in 2021
President of Guinea
Assumed office
1 October 2021
Prime MinisterMohamed Béavogui
Bernard Goumou
Bah Oury
Preceded byAlpha Condé
Chairman of the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development
Assumed office
5 September 2021
Preceded byOffice Established
Personal details
Born (1980-03-04) 4 March 1980 (age 44)
Kankan Region, Guinea
SpouseLauriane Darboux
Children4
Military service
Allegiance France (formerly)
 Guinea
Branch/service French Foreign Legion (formerly)
 Guinea Army
Rank Colonel
This article is part of a series about
Mamady Doumbouya

President of Guinea

2021-present

Government

Family

Mamady Doumbouya (N'Ko: ߡߊ߬ߡߊߘߌ߫ ߘߎ߲ߓߎߦߊ߫, born 4 March 1980) is a Guinean military officer serving as the interim president of Guinea since 1 October 2021. Doumbouya led a coup d'état on 5 September 2021 that overthrew the previous president, Alpha Condé. He is a member of the Special Forces Group of the Guinean military and a former French legionnaire. On the day of the coup, Doumbouya issued a broadcast on state television declaring that his faction had dissolved the government and constitution. On 1 October 2021, Doumbouya was sworn in as interim president.[1]

Early life

Doumbouya was born on 4 March 1980 in the Kankan Region of Guinea.[2][3][4] He is of Mandinka origins.[3]

Military career

Doumbouya was a French legionnaire holding the rank of corporal before he returned to Guinea to lead the Special Forces Group, an elite military unit created by President Alpha Condé.[3][5] When he took office, receiving promotion to the rank of battalion commander, his international experience was cited, including training he had completed in a number of different countries.[3][5] In 2018, he met Assimi Goïta, from Mali, in Burkina Faso at a US Army training session for regional special forces commanders. Both he and Assimi Goïta would later launch military coups against their governments.[6] He worked in this role for country's intelligence services, based in Forécariah.[4] He was further promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2019 and to colonel in 2020.[5][7] In 2021, he was said to have been seeking more authority for the Special Forces Group.[3] During his presidency, he was promoted to general in 2024 and at the same time, resigned from his command of the Special Forces Group.[8]

Doumbouya was deployed on missions to Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Central African Republic, Israel, Cyprus, the UK and Guinea, during his 15-year career.[6]

He was one of 25 officials from Guinea that the European Union threatened to sanction over allegations of human rights abuses.[4]

In May 2021, there were rumors stemming from the government of a possible arrest of Doumbouya while he was in Conakry on unknown accusations or charges.[9]

2021 coup d'état

Mamady Doumbouya the day the coup took place.

Doumbouya was the instigator of the 5 September 2021 Guinean coup d'état, in which the president of Guinea, Alpha Condé, was detained.[10] Doumbouya issued a broadcast on state television declaring that his faction had dissolved the government and constitution.[11] He also said that the "National Committee of Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), [was forced] to take its responsibility" after "the dire political-situation of our country, the instrumentalization of the judiciary, the non-respect of democratic principles, the extreme politicization of public administration, as well as poverty and corruption."[12] In justifying the military's actions, Doumbouya quoted the former Ghanaian president Jerry Rawlings, who said that "if the people are crushed by their elites, it is up to the army to give the people their freedom."[13]

Interim president of Guinea (2021–present)

Mamady Doumbouya on 2 October 2021.

After taking power, he had told ministers to not revolt against him during his first meeting, or otherwise, he would consider it an act of rebellion. Then during his broadcast he would announce that ex-president Alpha Condé would not be released and that they would still give him healthcare. Doumbouya downplayed possible economic sanctions by ECOWAS, saying through a spokesman that "as soldiers, their work is in Guinea and there is nothing to freeze in their accounts."[14] The ECOWAS representatives also urged the junta to allow ousted president Condé to leave Guinea; the junta has refused to do so.[14]

On 1 October 2021, Doumbouya was sworn in as interim president at Mohammed V Palace [fr] in Conakry.[15] He announced plans to "refound the state" introducing "free, credible and transparent" elections and respecting "all the national and international commitments to which the country has subscribed".[6]

On Mali's 62nd anniversary of independence, Doumbouya met with Assimi Goïta in which he was welcomed by him. They discussed about many issues during his visit.[16]

Doumbouya met with Paul Kagame of Rwanda in his country of Guinea which he was the first to meet him since 2021 Guinean coup d'état. He was inspired by him to reform and reconcile his nation like how Kagame did to Rwanda.[17]

Anti-government protestors have been threatened with life in prison by Doumbouya and the junta.[18]

On 19 February 2024, Doumbouya and the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development ordered the dissolution of the interim government.[19]

Personal life

Doumbouya is married to Lauriane Darboux, who is an active duty member of the French National Gendarmerie.[20] The couple have four children.[20][21]

References

  1. ^ "Guinea swears in coup leader Mamady Doumbouya as interim president". CNN. Reuters. October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  2. ^ Kum, Peter. "Qui est le colonel Mamady Doumbouya, nouvel homme fort de la Guinée ? (Biographie)". Anadolu Agency (in French). Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Guinée : portrait du colonel Mamady Doumbouya, auteur du putsch du 5 septembre 2021" [Guinea: portrait of Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, instigator of the putsch of September 5, 2021]. Africa 24 (in French). 5 September 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Guinea coup: Who is Col Mamady Doumbouya?". BBC. 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Independent, The (5 September 2021). "Focus on Lt Col Mamady Doumbouya in Guinea 'coup'". The Independent (Uganda). Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Mamady Doumbouya: Guinea coup leader sworn in as president". BBC. 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Guinean rebel leader Colonel Doumbouya announces president's arrest". TASS. 5 September 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Guinea's junta leader Mamady Doumbouya promoted to general amidst political transition". Africanews. 25 January 2024.
  9. ^ Kaledzi, Isaac (5 September 2021). "Colonel Mamady Doumbouya is Guinea's coup leader". Africa Feeds. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  10. ^ Samb, Saliou (6 September 2021). "Elite Guinea army unit says it has toppled president". Reuters. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Putschist say Guinea's president arrested, constitution and government dissolved". Shafaq. 5 September 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  12. ^ Kasraoui, Safaa (5 September 2021). "Coup d'Etat Confirmed in Guinea, Special Forces Capture President Alpha Conde". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Guinean coup leader Col.Doumbouya: Why we struck, quotes Rawlings". PM News. 5 September 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Guinea junta brushes off impact of ECOWAS sanctions". Reuters. 18 September 2021. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Guinea coup leader Mamady Doumbouya sworn in as interim president". Al Jazeera. 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  16. ^ AfricaNews (22 September 2022). "Guinea's military ruler in Mali on eve of ECOWAS extraordinary summit". Africanews. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  17. ^ AfricaNews (18 April 2023). "Guinea's junta chief says he wants to draw inspiration from Rwandan 'model". Africanews. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  18. ^ AfricaNews (18 May 2023). "Guinea's junta requisitions army in face of protests, threatens to apply anti-terrorism law". Africanews. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Guinea's military junta dissolves govt as transition set to end this year". Africanews. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  20. ^ a b Thomas, Abdul Rashid (6 September 2021). "Is dissent an act of faith in a democracy? Lessons from the Guinean military coup". Sierra Leone Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  21. ^ "12 Quick Facts about Guinea's coup leader Mamady Doumbouya". PM News. 5 September 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
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Political offices
Preceded by President of Guinea
2021–present 		Incumbent
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