Sidya Touré
Encyclopedia
Sidya Touré is a Guinean politician. He was Prime Minister of Guinea from 1996 to 1999 and is currently the President of the Union of Republican Forces
(UFR), an opposition party.
, Touré, who was considered a "reform-minded technocrat", was appointed as Prime Minister by President Lansana Conté
on 9 July 1996, becoming Guinea's first Prime Minister since 1984.
Touré's appointment, which followed a coup attempt in February 1996, was characterized as part of an effort by Conté to pursue reforms. However, after a few years of Touré's reformist policies, Conté appeared to change course and dismissed Touré, who was succeeded by Lamine Sidimé
on 8 March 1999.
Along with the other major opposition leaders, Touré announced in early November 2003 that he would boycott the December 2003 presidential election
due to concerns that it would not be free and fair and the government's failure to accept opposition demands.
After Touré organized a rally in the Conakry
suburb of Gbessia in late 2003, student riots broke out, and as a result Touré was detained and questioned. Subsequently, in late April 2004, he was arrested and detained for one night. Touré was charged with plotting to overthrow the government, and although he was released on bail, he was barred from politics and from travelling to other countries. He was cleared of the charges by an appeal court in July 2004.
Touré participated in a major opposition protest
in Conakry on 28 September 2009; the protest was directed against the suspected intent of junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara
to stand as a candidate in the January 2010 presidential election. The military attacked the protesters, killing many of them; Touré suffered a serious head injury and was hospitalized. Although the junta barred opposition leaders from speaking to the press, Touré covertly phoned the BBC's Focus on Africa from a hospital bathroom and gave his account of events; he said that soldiers "just started to shoot people directly ... They tried to kill us." Touré was released from custody on 29 September and returned to his home (which was also the UFR headquarters), discovering that it had been ransacked. On 1 October 2009 he said that the opposition could not talk to the government in the wake of such violence and that planned elections needed to be held under a neutral authority. He rejected the junta's offer of a national unity government, saying that the people were mourning and were in a state of shock from the events of 28 September; according to Touré, the immediate priority was to determine who gave the order to open fire on the protesters.
, Touré had enough support that he was perceived as a potential "kingmaker
" who could sway the second round outcome by endorsing a candidate. "We shall submit our proposals for government to both the candidates", Touré said, adding that "it is an alliance that we are after and we shall wait and see the outcome of negotiations with the two leaders."
Union of Republican Forces
The Union of Republican Forces is a liberal political party in Guinea.Founded in 1992, the party has been led since 1999 by former Prime Minister of Guinea Sidya Touré. The party supported the Guinea general strike, 2007....
(UFR), an opposition party.
Prime minister
Having previously been in exile in Côte d'IvoireCôte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
, Touré, who was considered a "reform-minded technocrat", was appointed as Prime Minister by President Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté was the second President of Guinea from 3 April 1984 until his death. He was a Muslim and a member of the Susu ethnic group.-Early life:...
on 9 July 1996, becoming Guinea's first Prime Minister since 1984.
Touré's appointment, which followed a coup attempt in February 1996, was characterized as part of an effort by Conté to pursue reforms. However, after a few years of Touré's reformist policies, Conté appeared to change course and dismissed Touré, who was succeeded by Lamine Sidimé
Lamine Sidimé
Lamine Sidimé is the President of the Supreme Court of Guinea. He was Prime Minister of Guinea from 1999 to 2004.Sidimé served as President of the Supreme Court before being appointed as Prime Minister by President Lansana Conte in March 1999, replacing Sidya Touré. After five years in office, he...
on 8 March 1999.
Opposition leader
After leaving the government, Touré became an opposition leader; he is currently the President of the UFR.Along with the other major opposition leaders, Touré announced in early November 2003 that he would boycott the December 2003 presidential election
Guinean presidential election, 2003
A presidential election was held in Guinea on 21 December 2003. Incumbent Lansana Conté won over 95.6% of the vote after most opposition parties boycotted the election....
due to concerns that it would not be free and fair and the government's failure to accept opposition demands.
After Touré organized a rally in the Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
suburb of Gbessia in late 2003, student riots broke out, and as a result Touré was detained and questioned. Subsequently, in late April 2004, he was arrested and detained for one night. Touré was charged with plotting to overthrow the government, and although he was released on bail, he was barred from politics and from travelling to other countries. He was cleared of the charges by an appeal court in July 2004.
Touré participated in a major opposition protest
2009 Guinea protest
The 2009 Guinea protest was an opposition rally in Conakry, Guinea on Monday, 28 September 2009, with about 50,000 participants protesting against the junta government that came to power after the Guinean coup d'état of December 2008...
in Conakry on 28 September 2009; the protest was directed against the suspected intent of junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara
Moussa Dadis Camara
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara now called Moïse Dadis Camara is an ex-officer of the Guinean army who served as the President of the Republic of Guinea's National Council for Democracy and Development , which seized power in a military coup d'état on 23 December 2008 after the...
to stand as a candidate in the January 2010 presidential election. The military attacked the protesters, killing many of them; Touré suffered a serious head injury and was hospitalized. Although the junta barred opposition leaders from speaking to the press, Touré covertly phoned the BBC's Focus on Africa from a hospital bathroom and gave his account of events; he said that soldiers "just started to shoot people directly ... They tried to kill us." Touré was released from custody on 29 September and returned to his home (which was also the UFR headquarters), discovering that it had been ransacked. On 1 October 2009 he said that the opposition could not talk to the government in the wake of such violence and that planned elections needed to be held under a neutral authority. He rejected the junta's offer of a national unity government, saying that the people were mourning and were in a state of shock from the events of 28 September; according to Touré, the immediate priority was to determine who gave the order to open fire on the protesters.
2010 presidential election
Standing as the UFR candidate for the June 2010 presidential election, Touré was one of the main candidates, but ultimately he placed third, receiving 13.62% of the vote. He initially challenged the results, but after they were confirmed by the Supreme Court, he publicly accepted the outcome of the first round on 22 July 2010: "Whether we are a victim or not, I think we should start by respecting the institutions and moving on." Despite his failure to win a place in the second round, in which first place candidate Cellou Dallein Diallo was to face runner-up Alpha CondéAlpha Condé
Alpha Condé is a Guinean politician who has been President of Guinea since December 2010. He was a political science professor at the University of Paris and spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes in Guinea, unsuccessfully running against President Lansana Conté in the 1993 and...
, Touré had enough support that he was perceived as a potential "kingmaker
Kingmaker
Kingmaker is a term originally applied to the activities of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick — "Warwick the Kingmaker" — during the Wars of the Roses in England. The term has come to be applied more generally to a person or group that has great influence in a royal or political succession,...
" who could sway the second round outcome by endorsing a candidate. "We shall submit our proposals for government to both the candidates", Touré said, adding that "it is an alliance that we are after and we shall wait and see the outcome of negotiations with the two leaders."