BuaNews (Tshwane)
Bathandwa Mbola
29 December 2008
Pretoria — President Kgalema Motlanthe has added his voice to the international community condemning the military coup in Guinea following the death of President Lansana Conte last week.
The President called on the military to immediately step down and hand power to the National Assembly Speaker as required by that country's Constitution.
The condemnation follows a reported military coup in Guinea, Conakry. The army has decided to suspend the Constitution, saying it is on a rescue mission to right the wrongs of the past before conducting a fresh election to restore democracy in the West African poverty- stricken nation.
The new self-declared President, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, suspended the Constitution, saying the elections would be conducted in 2010.
According to the country's Constitution, the National Assembly Speaker, Aboubacar Sompare, should be in charge until a presidential election is held within 60 days.
"In this context, the military rulers must cease their pursuance of the current members of the cabinet as well as the prime minister and help return the country to the rule of law, constitutionality, peace and security," said President Motlanthe.
According to President Motlanthe, who is also the Chairperson of South African Development Community (SADC), the military seize of power is an affront to peace, stability and democracy in Guinea.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people paid their last respects to President Conte at a funeral service in Conakry on Friday.
Mr Conte, who took power in a coup and ruled for 24 years, was buried in his birthplace Lansanaya, a village to the north-west of the capital.
Guinea has fertile land and rich mineral deposits, including half the world's reserves of bauxite, the ore used in making aluminium. However, its people are among the poorest in the world.
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