Robert Guéï
Encyclopedia
Robert Guéï was the military ruler of the Côte d'Ivoire
from December 24, 1999 to October 26, 2000.
Guéï was born in Kabakouma, a village in the western Man
region, and was a member of the Yakouba tribe. He was a career soldier: under the French administration, he was trained at the Ouagadougou
military school and the St Cyr
military school in France. He was an ardent supporter of longtime President Félix Houphouët-Boigny
, who in 1990 appointed him chief of the army following a mutiny
. After the death of Houphouët-Boigny in 1993, Guéï became distanced from the new leader Henri Konan Bédié
. Guéï's refusal to mobilise his troops to resolve a political struggle between Bédié and the opposition leader Alassane Ouattara
in October 1995 led to his dismissal. He was made a minister but sacked again in August 1996 and forced out of the army in January 1997.
Bédié was overthrown in a coup on Christmas Eve, 1999
. Although the coup was not led by Guéï, the popular general was encouraged out of retirement to head the junta
until the next elections. In the October 2000 elections, Guéï was defeated by Laurent Gbagbo
of the Ivorian Popular Front, but he refused to recognize the result and it took a spate of street protests to bring Gbagbo to power. Guéï fled to Gouessesso, near the Liberia
n border, but remained a figure in the political scene. He was included in a reconciliation forum in 2001 and agreed to refrain from undemocratic methods.
Guéï withdrew from the forum agreement in September 2002, but was killed on September 19, 2002, in the Cocody
district of Abidjan
at the first hours of the civil war
. Circumstances of his death remain mysterious. His wife and several members of his family and the interior minister, Émile Boga Doudou
, were also killed.
Following Guéï's death, his body stayed in a morgue until a funeral was held for him in Abidjan on August 18, 2006, nearly four years after his death.
Côte 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...
from December 24, 1999 to October 26, 2000.
Guéï was born in Kabakouma, a village in the western Man
Man, Côte d'Ivoire
Man is a town in Man Department in the west of central Côte d'Ivoire. It is part of Dix-Huit Montagnes Region and is an important market town lying between mountains including Mount Toura and Mount Tonkoui, the two highest in the nation, and La Dent de Man, popular with hikers. The city lies near...
region, and was a member of the Yakouba tribe. He was a career soldier: under the French administration, he was trained at the Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
military school and the St Cyr
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...
military school in France. He was an ardent supporter of longtime President Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny , affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first President of Côte d'Ivoire. Originally a village chief, he worked as a doctor, an administrator of a plantation, and a union leader, before being elected to the French Parliament and serving in a number of...
, who in 1990 appointed him chief of the army following a mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
. After the death of Houphouët-Boigny in 1993, Guéï became distanced from the new leader Henri Konan Bédié
Henri Konan Bédié
Aimé Henri Konan Bédié is an Ivorian politician. He was President of Côte d'Ivoire from 1993 to 1999, and he is currently the President of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - African Democratic Rally .-Biography:...
. Guéï's refusal to mobilise his troops to resolve a political struggle between Bédié and the opposition leader Alassane Ouattara
Alassane Ouattara
Alassane Dramane Ouattara is an Ivorian politician who has been President of Côte d'Ivoire since 2011. An economist by profession, Ouattara worked for the International Monetary Fund and the Central Bank of West African States , and he was the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire from November 1990 to...
in October 1995 led to his dismissal. He was made a minister but sacked again in August 1996 and forced out of the army in January 1997.
Bédié was overthrown in a coup on Christmas Eve, 1999
1999 Ivorian coup d'état
The 1999 Ivorian coup d'état took place on December 24, 1999. It was the first coup d'état since the independence of Côte d'Ivoire.- Background :...
. Although the coup was not led by Guéï, the popular general was encouraged out of retirement to head the junta
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
until the next elections. In the October 2000 elections, Guéï was defeated by Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Koudou Gbagbo served as the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist....
of the Ivorian Popular Front, but he refused to recognize the result and it took a spate of street protests to bring Gbagbo to power. Guéï fled to Gouessesso, near the Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n border, but remained a figure in the political scene. He was included in a reconciliation forum in 2001 and agreed to refrain from undemocratic methods.
Guéï withdrew from the forum agreement in September 2002, but was killed on September 19, 2002, in the Cocody
Cocody
Cocody, is an upmarket suburb of Abidjan, marked by its abundance of mansions. Cocody is where most of the wealthy business people, ambassadors, and other affluent people live...
district of Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
at the first hours of the civil war
Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire
The Ivorian Civil War was a conflict in Côte d'Ivoire that began on 19 September 2002. Although most of the fighting ended by late 2004, the country remains split in two, with a rebel-held north and a government-held south. Hostility increased and raids on foreign troops and civilians rose...
. Circumstances of his death remain mysterious. His wife and several members of his family and the interior minister, Émile Boga Doudou
Émile Boga Doudou
Émile Boga Doudou was an Ivorian politician who served as Minister of State for the Interior and Decentralization from 2000 to 2002. He was killed in the failed coup attempt that marked the start of the Ivorian Civil War....
, were also killed.
Following Guéï's death, his body stayed in a morgue until a funeral was held for him in Abidjan on August 18, 2006, nearly four years after his death.