Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CONAKRY162
2008-03-04 15:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

PRESIDENCY STIRS UP CONTROVERSY AGAIN - APPOINTS

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC GV 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRY #0162/01 0641516
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041516Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2220
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000162 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: PRESIDENCY STIRS UP CONTROVERSY AGAIN - APPOINTS
TWO NEW OFFICIALS

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000162

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: PRESIDENCY STIRS UP CONTROVERSY AGAIN - APPOINTS
TWO NEW OFFICIALS


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. While Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate was
off strengthening bilateral ties with Gabon and Equatorial
Guinea last week, the presidency took advantage of the PM,s
absence to stir up controversy once again. On March 1, Conte
issued two presidential decrees, one naming a new prefect to
Kindia and the other, a new president for the National
Communications Commission (CNC). Both appointees have shady
reputations and at least one is a staunch supporter of the
president. The decrees appear to be another challenge to
Kouyate. If he comes out on bottom as he did in early
January 2008, the population is likely to see these
appointments as evidence of further weakening of the
consensus government. END SUMMARY.

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HAVE I GOT A JOB FOR YOU!
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2. (SBU) The new prefect of Kindia, Abdoulaye Siller Camara,
fills a position left vacant by the death of the former
prefect in February. A contact at the Ministry of Interior
and Security (MIS),who also happens to be from Camara,s
neighborhood and a former classmate, told POL LES that Camara
is from Dubreka and closely connected to Elhadj Sekhouna
Soumah, a member of Conte,s inner circle who is well
protected by the presidency. According to contact, Camara
visited Conte a few weeks ago, accompanied by Sekhouna
Soumah. Conte reportedly asked Camara what he had been up
to; Camara told the president that he had not been doing
anything since the January 2007 labor strike. Contact said
that Conte instructed his Secretary General, Sam Soumah, to
draft up a decree to appoint Camara as Prefect of Kindia.
(NOTE - Sekhouna Soumah is likely a distant relative of Sam
Soumah's although the exact connection is unclear. They are
both from the same region. END NOTE).


3. (SBU) MIS contact also told POL LES that he suspects the
Minister of Interior never saw the decree before it was
signed, which is unusual since it involves an appointment of
one of his subordinates. According to contact, there are
some clear errors in the decree that would not have been
included if the document had been properly cleared. Breaking
with standard protocol, the appointment decree reportedly
does not detail any of Camara,s previous experience, nor

does it list the Guinean equivalent of his social security
number.


4. (SBU) Camara is widely viewed as corrupt, having
reportedly mismanaged and embezzled funds during his previous
stint as prefect of Dinguirare. Prominent union leader Dr.
Ibrahima Fofana told Poloff on March 4 that Camara was the
first government official to be chased out of office during
the civil unrest in early 2007 and his reappointment
signifies further deterioration of an increasingly tenuous
political situation. Fofana emphasized that the PM retains
the right to appoint prefects and the president,s action is
in strict violation of the January 27 protocol, similar to
his January firing of the communications minister. Various
youth organizations in Kindia have expressed their
dissatisfaction with the appointment, and according to the
press, have notified officials of their intent to demonstrate
on March 5 in protest.


5. (SBU) The Governor of Kindia, who was appointed by the PM
in July 2007, told LES over the telephone that she could not
comment on Camara,s appointment because she has not
personally met him yet. She said that it &is too early to
say anything.8 However, the governor added that she does
not want trouble in Kindia. She added that the reports of
youths, intent to demonstrate are unfounded and that no
demonstrations are planned.

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AND WHILE I'M AT IT...
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6. (SBU) Conte,s appointment of Tibou Kamara as the new
president of the CNC is also stirring up controversy. The
CNC is the chief regulatory body of the media in Guinea, and
while the president maintains direct authority over the
institution, the appointment of yet another controversial
figure in the wake of the president,s appointment of a new
communications minister continues to raise questions about
the future direction and autonomy of the press. Tibou Kamara
is a close associate of former prime minister and opposition
political party leader Cellou Dalein Diallo. The CNC
recently suspended Tibou for slander against the prime
minister, but in a complete turnaround thanks to the
president, he is now running the organization that suspended
him for questionable reporting. According to various
contacts, Tibou's appointment is illegal because Guinean law
mandates that certain officials, including the president of
the CNC, must be more than 40 years old at the time of
appointment, and Tibou is only 35.

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COMMENT
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7. (SBU) Every time the PM leaves the country, he gives the
president and his entourage another opportunity to manipulate
Guinea,s tenuous political balance of power in favor of the
president. However, it is unclear as to whether the
president orchestrated this latest development himself or
whether it was one of his cronies. The prefect,s
appointment is being interpreted as another twist of the
knife in the heart of the January 27 Accords while the CNC
appointment is enraging the press. There has already been
some public reaction, but it is unclear to what extent the
population will demonstrate its dissatisfaction with these
appointments. The fact that there is a mechanism in place to
review the implementation of the January 27 Accords (the
Committee de Suivi) may mitigate any immediate reaction, but
the seeds of discontent will continue to fester under the
surface until the underlying leadership problem is resolved.
If the appointments go uncontested, they are likely to be
interpreted as further weakening Kouyate,s executive powers.
END COMMENT.
CARTER