2008 Guinean coup d'état
A junta called the National Council for Democracy and Development (French: Conseil National de la Démocratie et du Development, CNDD), headed by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, seized power and announced that it planned to rule the country for two years prior to a new presidential election.
In the early hours of 23 December 2008, Aboubacar Somparé, the President of the National Assembly, announced on television that Conté had died at 6:45 pm local time the previous day "after a long illness.
[1][4] Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souaré and General Diarra Camara, the head of the army, stood alongside Somparé during his announcement.
[7] This statement, read by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara[7][9] on behalf of a group called the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD),[7] said that "the government and the institutions of the Republic have been dissolved."
"[7][9] According to Captain Camara, the coup was necessary due to Guinea's "deep despair" amidst rampant poverty and corruption, and he said that the existing institutions were "incapable of resolving the crises which have been confronting the country."
[10] Reporting from Conakry at the time of the coup announcement, Alhassan Sillah of the BBC said that the situation in the city was "unusually quiet" and that he had not seen any soldiers.
[13] In the afternoon of 23 December, amidst confusion about who was in control of the country, Gen. Camara asked that the soldiers "at least wait until after [Conté's] funeral", while also stating that he was not trying to prevent anyone's ambitions.
[19] Later in the day, Camara and thousands of soldiers loyal to him paraded through the city, surrounded by large numbers of civilian supporters.
[21] The extent of the CNDD's control remained unclear on 24 December; although Prime Minister Souaré had gone into hiding, he insisted that the government had not been toppled.
Souaré described Camara as "an unknown captain [who] doesn't control the army" and argued again that most troops were loyal, while attributing the "disorder" to "one little group".
[20] Shortly after the CNDD ordered all members of the government and army officers to go to the Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp within 24 hours, with the threat of "a sweep of the entire national territory" if they did not.
General Mamadouba Toto Camara of the CNDD said at the funeral that "we pray God to give us the courage to continue [Conté's] work of tolerance and peace for the welfare of Guinea".
[28] Camara held a large "informational meeting" at the Alfa Yaya Diallo military base on 27 December; about 1,000 people representing various groups were present, including Somparé, the key opposition leaders Alpha Condé and Sidya Touré, and the trade union leader Rabiatou Serah Diallo.
[31] Sidya Touré gave a positive assessment of the situation and said that "we will discuss the program and timetable for the transition and we will ensure that the military keep their promises.
[31] On 29 December, soldiers forcefully entered the compound of Mamadou Sylla—a wealthy businessman who had been an ally and close personal friend of Lansana Conté—and told Sylla to relinquish the keys to six SUV vehicles that they said were owned by the state.
[35] The CNDD appointed Kabine Komara, a banker working in Egypt at the African Export-Import Bank, as prime minister on 30 December 2008.
[44] Contrary to the wishes of CNDD President Camara, he was unwilling to postpone his swearing-in,[45] and he also requested the release of officers who were closely associated with Conté.
