Two weeks after the military authorities in Guinea consented to allow Alpha Conde seeks medical treatment abroad, the former President was finally flown out on Monday.
Conde’s evacuation comes four months after his ouster in a bloody coup in September 2021 by a group of special forces soldiers led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya, who has since declared himself transition president.
Despite repeated demands and subsequent sanction by the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, the junta refused to release Conde.
But he was eventually released and placed under house arrest in the home of his wife in the capital Conakry in November.
About two weeks ago, the junta confirmed that it had granted a request by ECOWAS and the family of the former president who was feeling unwell to get treatment abroad. The government didn’t disclose the nature of his sickness.
On Monday images of the deposed former president released by the government showed him dressed in a black suit and flanked by two close bodyguards, one of whom held his briefcase, shortly before taking off from the recently renamed Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport in Conakry.
Another image showed Conde seated in the aircraft, looking deserted.
According to reports, the special chartered flight was headed for the United Arab Emirates.
The authorities had said the 83-year-old former president had the option of making his choice of destination.
However, the decision to let Conde leave the country has been met with mixed reactions, with his supporters welcoming it, while his political opponents warning that he could be headed for exile.
Those who don’t like the idea of Conde leaving the country want to see him tried for his alleged crimes during his two decades rule.
Conde became the first Guinean leader who was democratically elected in 2010. He was re-elected in 2018 in a disputed poll. He controversially changed the constitution to allow him run for third term in 2020, a decision that sparked mass protests, deaths and jailing of political opponents.
