Sékouba Konaté

General Sékouba Konaté (born 6 June 1964)[1] is an officer of the Guinean army and formerly served as the Vice President of its military junta, the National Council for Democracy and Development. After attending military academy, he received the nickname "El Tigre" for his action in battle, and gained such popularity with the people he was favored to be president of the government. However, he was appointed Vice-President; but took control of the country when the president was shot in December 2009.

Sékouba Konaté
President of Guinea
Acting
In office
3 December 2009 – 21 December 2010
Prime MinisterKabiné Komara
Jean-Marie Doré
Preceded byMoussa Camara
Succeeded byAlpha Condé
Personal details
Born (1964-06-06) 6 June 1964
Conakry, Guinea
Political partyNational Council for Democracy and Development
Spouse(s)Mariama Sakho Konate October 13, 2012-
Children1 Jeannette Bassoum Konate
Alma materRoyal Military Academy
ProfessionSoldier
Military service
Nickname(s)El Tigre
Years of service1985–present
RankGeneral

Life

Konaté was born in Conakry in 1964[2] to Mandinka parents. He attended the Académie Militaire Royale in the Moroccan city of Meknes, graduating in 1990.[2] He suffers from an unknown physical illness, possibly of his liver.[3]

Military career

For his military prowess in combat, Konaté was nicknamed "El Tigre".[4] He was trained as a parachutist, and fought in many battles in Guinea's military during 2000-2001.[3] Because of his reputation as a soldier, many people supported him to be the junta leader: he is still popular with the people.[3]

Political career

Guinea's President, Lansana Conté, died after a long illness in December 2008.[5] The day afterwards, Moussa Camara, a military captain, stepped forward and declared Guinea to be under junta rule, with himself as the head.[6] Konaté demanded that he be considered to rule the junta, and Camara and him drew lots to determine who would be President.[6] After drawing twice, due to accusations of Camara cheating, Konaté was made the Vice President.[6] He was also made the Minister of Defense.[7]

On December 3, 2009, Camara was shot in an attempted assassination by his aide-de-camp, Aboubacar Diakité.[8] While he was airlifted to Morocco for treatment, Konaté was placed in charge of the country.[9] With Camara still in rehabilitation, the United States government has expressed its desire to see Camara kept out of Guinea. Konaté was appointed head of the Transition regime tasked with the preparation of the 2010 presidential election. Because: "All of Camara’s actions were ill concealed attempts to take over… we’re not getting that same sense from Konate,” according to the United States Deputy Secretary of State William Fitzgerald.[10]

In 2010, Konaté organized democratic elections, which were won by Alpha Condé. Following the transition of power, Konaté was appointed as the head of the African Union's military force.[11]

References
  1. Cheikh Yérim Seck, envoyé spécial à Conakry (9 March 2009). "Guinée - Jusqu'où ira Sékouba Konaté ? - Jeuneafrique.com - le premier site d'information et d'actualité sur l'Afrique". JEUNEAFRIQUE.COM. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. Bio Express: Sékouba Konaté, Jeune Afrique, 2009-09-03, retrieved 2009-12-08
  3. John, Mark (2009-12-05), ""El Tigre" Guards Guinea For Wounded Junta Chief", The New York Times, Reuters, retrieved 2009-12-09
  4. Dadis Camara Out of Danger and Recovering in Hospital, Newstime Africa, 2009-12-09, archived from the original on 2009-12-09, retrieved 2009-12-10
  5. Jean Matthew, Tamba (2009-12-02), "Guinean Tycoon Pulls Out of Coalition", Daily Nation, retrieved 2009-12-07
  6. Callimachi, Rukmini (2009-03-21), Guinea's New Leader a Mix of Robin Hood, Dictator, Fox News Channel, retrieved 2009-12-07
  7. Samb, Saliou (2008-12-29), African Union Suspends Guinea, Junta Purges Generals, Reuters, retrieved 2009-12-07
  8. General Sékouba Konaté Assumes Interim Leadership of Guinea Military Junta, Afrique en ligne, 2009-12-06, archived from the original on 2012-07-17, retrieved 2009-12-07
  9. Allman, Tim (2009-12-07), Guinea Chief 'Well' After Surgery in Morocco, BBC News, retrieved 2009-12-07
  10. U.S. Makes Attempt to Keep Dadis Camara out of Guinea, Newstime Africa, 2009-12-09, archived from the original on 2009-12-17, retrieved 2009-12-10
  11. Kamara, Ahmed (21 December 2010). "A.U. APPOINTS SEKOUBA KONATE AS HEAD OF THE AFRICAN UNION STANDBY MILITARY FORCE". Newstime Africa. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
Political offices
Preceded by
Moussa Dadis Camara		 President of Guinea
2009–2010		 Succeeded by
Alpha Condé
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