Dictator's coffin paraded through streets

A truck carrying the coffin of Guinea’s late dictator was paraded through the streets of the capital today.

Loyalists are mourning strongman Lansana Conte, whose death has thrown the West African nation into political turmoil.

Market women wept and thousands gathered outside Guinea’s parliament dressed in white, the traditional Muslim colour of mourning.

Conte died on Monday after ruling Guinea with a stern hand for nearly 25 years. He was one of only two leaders since the country’s 1958 independence from France.

Hours after the death announcement, a military-led group declared a coup. The group has promised to hold a presidential election in December 2010.

The coup leader solidified his hold over the nation as the prime minister who served under Conte surrendered and stepped down, along with dozens of other government leaders.

New military leader Capt Moussa Camara had ordered prime minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare and other leaders of Guinea’s government and armed forces to come out of hiding and turn themselves in at a military barracks within 24 hours.

If they did not, he threatened to organise a nationwide search.

Mr Souare’s mother, Aissatou, said yesterday that her son was no longer prime minister and that he and the other ministers went to the barracks to avoid being hunted down.

Private radio station Liberte FM carried a live broadcast of him telling the coup leader: “We are at your disposal,” in an apparent capitulation. The radio station reported that Camara said the government leaders were then free to leave, but it was not immediately clear where they were.

Later, the head of all armed branches of Guinea’s military, General Camara Diarra, also turned himself in at the barracks, as did the head of police and the head of customs.

Mr Souare had not been seen in public since Camara’s group of junior officers declared a coup on Tuesday.

Camara has declared himself Guinea’s interim leader and pledged to hold a presidential election in two years.

But many in the international community say that is too long to wait.

The European Union urged Guinea to hold “democratic and transparent” elections within the first three months of 2009.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said France was “extremely worried” about the situation in Guinea. The statement said free, fair elections “should be organised in a short time and under international observation”. It urged a “peaceful, orderly and democratic transition”.

In radio broadcasts yesterday, Camara said he had no intention of being a candidate in the December 2010 vote but that his group wanted to re-establish order and crack down on corruption.

“I want to warn anyone who thinks they can try to corrupt me or my agents. Money is of no interest to us,” Camara said.

“There are already people who are starting to show up with bags of money to try to corrupt us. They’ve tried to give money to our wives and cars to our children. I will personally go after anyone who tries to corrupt us.”

Under Guinea’s constitution, parliament leader Aboubacar Sompare was next in line to be president. Until Conte’s death, Guinea had been ruled by only two people since its 1958 independence from France. Conte first took power in a 1984 military coup after his predecessor’s death, embarking on more than two decades of stern dictatorial rule.

He won presidential elections in 1993, 1998 and 2003, but the ballots were marred by accusations of fraud. In 2003, Conte secured 95% of the vote – an improbably high tally for a man many say was deeply unpopular.

Camara promised a “grandiose funeral” for Conte today.

Conte’s body will be brought to a Conakry stadium and then to the Grand Mosque before burial.

Camara’s group said it would ensure the security of visiting foreign heads of state and dignitaries.