Guinea’s leading opposition figure has called for “direct resistance” against the country’s military leader-turned-president after authorities strengthened their grip on power by dissolving 40 political parties.
In 2021, Mamady Doumbouya, a former special forces officer, overthrew the government and later secured a seven-year presidential mandate in December, a result strongly disputed by opposition groups. Parliamentary elections are expected to take place in May in the West African country, which holds large reserves of bauxite and iron ore.
Late Friday, the Guinea Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization announced through a decree that the headquarters and regional offices of 40 political organisations would be shut down. The order also banned the use of their symbols, acronyms and any other identifying signs.
Officials stated that the affected parties had not complied with certain legal requirements, including submitting financial reports. However, several of the groups rejected the accusation, insisting they had met all regulatory obligations.
In a video message shared on social media on Sunday, prominent opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo claimed that the authorities had effectively declared open confrontation against political rivals of Doumbouya.
Diallo urged citizens to take part in what he described as “direct resistance,” though he did not clarify what actions such resistance would involve. He also argued that meaningful political change would not come through negotiations or conventional democratic channels.
According to him, the military leadership and its allies are attempting to reshape Guinea’s political history by removing rivals who could challenge what he called an emerging one-party system.
A spokesperson for the government did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the opposition’s accusations.
Diallo currently lives outside Guinea in exile, as does former president Alpha Condé, who was ousted by Doumbouya during the 2021 coup. The political party associated with Condé was also among those dissolved on Friday.
Guinea has experienced repeated episodes of political unrest, including violence surrounding the 2020 presidential election, which Diallo has long insisted he actually won. The December 2025 vote, by contrast, was tightly managed and proceeded without major security disturbances.