Dansa Kourouma: the lawyer of the Guinean transition and of Mamadi Doumbouya

Dansa Kourouma, once a fervent actor in Guinean civil society, is now the public face of a Guinea in transition. As president of the National Transitional Council (CNT), he is at the heart of the defense of the draft new Constitution, while praising the record of Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, leader of the junta that overthrew Alpha Condé in 2021. His role today? To defend a complex transition, marked by controversial reforms and political tensions.

From civil society to the political arena

Dansa Kourouma, 44, has long been an iconic figure in Guinean civil society. As President of the National Council of Guinean Civil Society Organizations and leader of the ECOWAS Civil Society Forum, he has earned a reputation as a staunch defender of civil rights and a key player in Guinea’s public debates. However, since January 2022, his career has taken a radical turn: he has become the president of the CNT, the interim legislative body established after the dissolution of the National Assembly following the coup that ousted Alpha Condé.

For some, this change of "hat" looks like a move from dissidence to the established order. But Kourouma, in his current role, has emerged as one of the most convincing spokesmen of Guinea's transition, defending Mamadi Doumbouya's record and seeking to stabilize the country while responding to criticism from the opposition.

The draft Constitution, a hot topic

One of Dansa Kourouma's main missions is to defend the draft of a new Constitution that will be submitted to a referendum. This text, although criticized by part of the opposition, is presented by Kourouma as a fundamental tool to guide Guinea towards a return to a civilian regime. The drafting of the text has raised questions about the political future of the junta, in particular the possibility for its members, such as Mamadi Doumbouya, to run for election.

Unlike the Transitional Charter, the new Constitution will not impose a ban on Doumbouya or other members of the junta from running in future elections. This omission is seen by some as an open door for Doumbouya, considered by Kourouma to be a "leader who has taken concrete actions that have marked the collective conscience of the country," to run for president.

Doumbouya president? The question that divides

Dansa Kourouma, unequivocally, does not hide his implicit support for a possible candidacy of Mamadi Doumbouya in the presidential election. According to him, it is above all up to Guineans to choose their future leader through the ballot box, but he believes that Doumbouya has already won an important place in the recent history of the country. For Kourouma, the colonel has shown that he is a leader capable of leading, thanks to the "concrete actions" he has taken since coming to power. However, this prospect continues to divide a political class where the memory of military power is still very present.

By championing this draft constitution, Kourouma positions himself not only as an advocate for the transition, but also as a key figure in Guinea’s political future. His role in this pivotal period could shape the fragile balance of power in a country still searching for stability.