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Latest update: 23/09/2010
- elections - Guinea Conakry - military junta
Electoral body proposes Oct. 10 for delayed presidential run-off
The Guinean electoral commission has proposed a new date of October 10 to hold a presidential run-off vote that was postponed last week amid security concerns in the politically fragile state.
REUTERS - Guinea's electoral commission on Wednesday proposed Oct. 10 as the revised date for the final round of voting in the West African country's first democratic election.
The commission, known as CENI, earlier this month postponed the election, which was due to have been held on Sept. 19, citing logistical reasons.
Analysts have said a successful election in Guinea, a key to stability in a region scarred by three civil wars, will bring in billions of dollars in planned mining investments and may draw a line under decades of authoritarian rule since independence from France in 1958.
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The new date must be approved by interim head of state Sekouba Konate. Konate has said he does not want any further delays, and his approval is expected to be a formality.
"We have officially written to propose the date of October 10," CENI official Foumba Kourouma told Reuters.
The election, strongly backed by the United States, France and the European Union, is intended to end a political crisis that began when soldiers seized power in the world's biggest bauxite exporter in December 2008, after former President Lansana Conte died.
Two way fight
Former Prime Minister Celou Dalein Diallo, who won more than 40 percent of the vote in June's first round, will take on Alpha Conde, who polled 18 percent. Conde's camp has repeatedly said the electoral process is deeply flawed.
CENI has experienced turmoil since the first round at the end of June. Ben Sekou Sylla, who was chief at the time, was convicted of fraud earlier this month and died days later after a long illness.
Sylla's replacement by his deputy, Hadja Aminata Mame Camara, led Conde to protest that she is a political ally of Diallo.
Earlier this month, one person was killed and 50 were injured in street battles as rival camps traded accusations of attempted vote-rigging, and CENI said the row between Diallo and Conde was hindering its efforts to set a date for the final round.
CENI said the electoral material for which it had been waiting was largely in place.
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Comments (2)
Western Powers
With experience in what happened in Sierra Leone where the UN and its allies carefully watched the country shattered. Is it the same they want they want to happen in Guinea? Or is that they are waiting to create other ways to get thier so called International civil highly paid jobs as peace keepes. For God sake why cant you prevent crisis and stop loosing lots of money in peace keeping. Mind you posterity will judge you that allow Guinea to explode....
I think the Ceni in Guinea
I think the Ceni in Guinea needs to be change because all its members belong to a political parti.So to do a fair election, I think it would be better to put United Nation in charge .All ceni members would be replaced by the United nations Personals.
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