Seyni Kountché

The general Seyni Kountché , of the Ethnie Djerma was the president of the Republic of the Niger of 1974 with 1987.

Military formation

Resulting from the princely family Zarmakoy Tondikandie , it was born on July 1st 1931 in Damana Fandou. As much of children reared by the army of French Western Africa (AOF), it enters at thirteen years to the school of Kati to the Mali in 1944, then with that of Saint-Louis of the Senegal. It was useful in Indo-China and Algérie, and became sergeant in 1957. Shortly after that its country reaches independence the August 3rd, 1960, it integrates the new armed forces natives of Niger in 1961. After having followed the school of training of the officers to Paris, he becomes under-personnel of the armed forces native of Niger in 1965, then chief of staff in 1973.

For this period, the Niger, lately independent country must face many economic and political problems. The country is then controlled by a sole party carried out by Hamani Diori. The opposition party ( Sawaba of Djibo Bakary) is prohibited. A serious dryness lasts of 1968 with 1974 driving with a catastrophic famine. The government in place cannot apply the reforms necessary to face the famine. The economy of the country remains weak in spite of the exploitation of the great reserves of Uranium to Arlit in the north of the country. Ministers for the government divert the stocks of food aid sent by the Red Cross and other humanitarian aids.

The seizure of power

the April 15th, 1974, the lieutenant-colonel Seyni Kountché carries out a putsch against the mode of Hamani Diori. The political parties are prohibited, the suspended constitution, the dissolved National Assembly. A hundred political prisoners is released the shortly after the coup d'etat, of which some were held since 1959 and the Exilé S are authorized to return in their country.

the April 17th, 1974, a supreme Military council (CMS) established Kountché as president and Head of State, his mandate indicated ( 15 years of military regime ), whose main concern is to restore the economy of the country and the morality of the political life.

the first government set up is exclusively made up officers, the National Assembly is replaced by a Conseil Nation for the Development (NDT). Generally friendly relations are maintained with the France, and of new bonds are create with the Arab States. The country is stabilized although various political personalities developed in CMS .

A military regime of exception

Of the coup attempts of State marks the first five years of the mode of Kountché, in August 1975, then in March 1976 and in October 1983. The instigators of these Putsch S missed are the commander Bayere Moussa and Ahmed Moudour, general secretary of the Union of the Worker Natives of Niger. The coup attempt of State of 1983 was perpetrated by its liege man, Amadou Oumarou known as " Bonkano". All fail.

Kountché eager to open the government with the civilians makes it possible four of them to become Secretaries of State to the government at the time of the rehandling of June 1975. It also increases their number within CMS in 1981. In 1982, preparations are undertaken to form a constitution of the government. January 23rd, 1983, civil a Prime Minister, Oumarou Mamane, is named.
In January 1984, it establishes a commission to compile a pre-constitutional document named national Charte , which was tested later in the national referendum. The Charte envisages the establishment of the not-elective and advisory establishments at the national and local levels. In spite of the opening of the State to the civilians, the mode remains strongly soldier, " policier" and the Human rights are often violated.

Thanks to the basket of uranium, the wages of the workers know a light increase. Despite everything, economic efforts of adjustments are prevented by the repetition of the Sécheresse in 1984 - 1985 and by the closing of the border with the Nigeria of 1984 - 1986. The dependence of the country with regard to food aid and financial external increases and of the important relations tie themselves with the the United States.

It is at this period that tensions settle between the Niger and the Libya, Niger showing Mouammar Kadhafi, to encourage and help the Touaregs to take the weapons against the mode of Kountché. In May 1985, of the incidents burst between the army native of Niger and of the Touaregs to Tchin-Tabaraden.

Until his death, in spite of several coup attempts of State, the general Seyni Kountché will have reigned as an absolute master of the State and the Armed forces, concentrating the three most important functions of the country since it was:

President of the Republic,
Minister of Interior Department
Minister of defense

Towards the end of the year 1983, it starts to have health issues, which worsen. He dies on November 10th 1987 in a hospital of Paris of a tumor of the brain. It is Ali Saïbou which succeeds to him, named by the CMS.

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