He served as Prime Minister of Guinea briefly in 1984 as a member of a junta led by Lansana Conté.

[1] After Guinea gained its independence in 1958, he was first given command of the garrison at Koundara, then the Futa Jalon region.

[1] At the death of Ahmed Sékou Touré in March 1984, on 3 April, Traoré supported a coup d'état led by Lieutenant Colonel Lansana Conté.

[1][4][5] On 4 July 1985, Traoré attempted to overthrow Conté, who was attending a summit in Togo, but was quickly thwarted by loyal troops.

[6] Traoré went into hiding,[6] but Conté's forces swiftly captured him and showed him on television being brutally assaulted.