President of Guinea, Mamadi Doumbouya has expelled 173 members of Guinea’s armed forces, accusing them of abandoning their posts in a move widely viewed as an attempt to strengthen his grip on power.
Among those removed was Col. Michel Lamah, a former member of the elite Special Forces Group that Doumbouya led before overthrowing President Alpha Condé in September 2021.
The dismissals were announced Monday on national television by Gen. Amara Camara, a presidential spokesman.
Authorities did not provide information about when or how the alleged desertions occurred.
The affected personnel reportedly belonged to several branches of the military.
Lamah became known nationally after photographs showed him inside a vehicle transporting Condé following the coup.
Special forces had seized the presidential palace and detained the president, who had secured a disputed third term the previous year despite deadly demonstrations.
Doumbouya initially pledged that the military takeover would be temporary and that he would not compete for the presidency.
He later abandoned that commitment, entering the election held in December and claiming victory with 87% of the vote.
The latest military action comes amid a broader campaign to eliminate possible threats to the president’s authority.
Since the takeover, Guinea’s authorities have closed media organizations, prohibited demonstrations, suspended political groups and detained or forced into exile several critics and opposition leaders.
Two major parties, RPG Arc en Ciel and the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, were barred from participating in the December poll.
Doumbouya has also promoted plans to transform the mineral-rich country from an exporter of unprocessed resources into a centre for industrial production.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong