Seyni Kountché
Encyclopedia
Seyni Kountché was a Niger
ien military officer who led a 1974 coup d'état
that deposed the government of Niger's first president
, Hamani Diori
. He ruled the country as military head of state from 1974 to 1987. Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niger's national stadium in Niamey, is named after him.
aristocracy who traced their origins to the Djermakoy
Tondikandie, Kountché began his military career in the late 1940s serving in the French
colonial army. In 1957, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant
. The French territory of Niger became independent as the Republic of Niger on 3 August 1960. One year after his country gained its independence, Kountché transferred to the Niger Army
. From 1965 to 1966, he studied at the officer's training school in Paris
and became deputy chief of staff of the armed forces soon after. He was promoted to armed forces chief of staff in 1973.
lasted from 1968 to 1974, leading to food shortages and growing dissatisfaction with the government. The economy remained weak despite attempts to exploit the large reserves of uranium
in the country. Widespread civil disorder followed allegations that some government ministers were misappropriating stocks of food aid.
, dissolve the National Assembly
, ban all political parties
, and release political prisoner
s. A Supreme Military Council (CMS) was established on 17 April 1974 with Kountché as president. Its stated mandate was to distribute food aid fairly and to restore morality to public life. A consultative National Council for Development (CND) replaced the National Assembly
. Although political parties were outlawed, opposition activists who were exiled during Diori's regime were allowed to return to Niger.
states. Domestically, the country stabilized although personal and policy differences developed within the CMS. Plots to remove Kountché were thwarted in 1975 and again in 1976.
. A civilian prime minister
, Mamane Oumarou
, was appointed on 24 January 1983. One year later, in January 1984, he established a commission to draft a pre-constitutional document, termed a 'national charter'. It was later approved in a national referendum. The charter provided for the establishment of non-elective, consultative institutions at both national and local levels.
from 1984 to 1986. Niger's dependence on external financial assistance was increased. Relations with the United States
(by now the country's principal source of food aid) assumed considerable importance. Meanwhile, a period of renewed tension between Niger and Libya
had fueled Libyan accusations of the persecution
of the light-skinned, nomadic Tuareg population by the Kountché regime. In May 1985, following an armed incident near the Niger-Libya border, all non-Nigerien Tuaregs were expelled from the country.
on 10 November 1987. Ali Saïbou
succeeded him and on 14 November 1987, he was appointed president of the Supreme Military Council (CMS).
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
ien military officer who led a 1974 coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
that deposed the government of Niger's first president
Heads of state of Niger
-List of Heads of State of Niger:-Affiliations:-See also:*Niger*List of colonial heads of Niger*Heads of Government of Niger*Lists of Incumbents-References:*...
, Hamani Diori
Hamani Diori
Hamani Diori was the first President of the Republic of Niger. He was appointed to that office in 1960, when Niger gained independence.- Youth :...
. He ruled the country as military head of state from 1974 to 1987. Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niger's national stadium in Niamey, is named after him.
Military career
Born in 1931 in the town of Damana Fandou, the child of DjermaDjerma
The Zarma people , are a people of westernmost Niger and adjacent areas of Burkina Faso, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria. The Zarma language is one of the Songhai languages, a branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family...
aristocracy who traced their origins to the Djermakoy
Djermakoy
The Djermakoy is the title given to rulers of the Djerma/Zarma states in what is now southwest Niger...
Tondikandie, Kountché began his military career in the late 1940s serving in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
colonial army. In 1957, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. The French territory of Niger became independent as the Republic of Niger on 3 August 1960. One year after his country gained its independence, Kountché transferred to the Niger Army
Military of Niger
The Niger Armed Forces comprises both the military and national police services of the West African nation of Niger, totaling around 12,000 active personnel and 5,000 reservists...
. From 1965 to 1966, he studied at the officer's training school in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and became deputy chief of staff of the armed forces soon after. He was promoted to armed forces chief of staff in 1973.
Niger in 1974
During this same period, the newly independent country of Niger faced many problems. Politically, the nation was ruled as a one party state led by president Hamani Diori. Opposition to the regime was suppressed, sometimes violently. A severe droughtDrought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
lasted from 1968 to 1974, leading to food shortages and growing dissatisfaction with the government. The economy remained weak despite attempts to exploit the large reserves of uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
in the country. Widespread civil disorder followed allegations that some government ministers were misappropriating stocks of food aid.
1974 Coup
On 15 April 1974, Seyni Kountché led a military coup that ended Diori's rule. Kountché's first official acts were to suspend the ConstitutionConstitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, dissolve the National Assembly
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
, ban all political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, and release political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s. A Supreme Military Council (CMS) was established on 17 April 1974 with Kountché as president. Its stated mandate was to distribute food aid fairly and to restore morality to public life. A consultative National Council for Development (CND) replaced the National Assembly
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
. Although political parties were outlawed, opposition activists who were exiled during Diori's regime were allowed to return to Niger.
Military governance
The military government's major preoccupation was planning an economic recovery. Generally amicable relations were maintained with France, and new links were formed with ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
states. Domestically, the country stabilized although personal and policy differences developed within the CMS. Plots to remove Kountché were thwarted in 1975 and again in 1976.
Return to constitutional governance
In 1981 Kountché began to increase civilian representation in the CMS, and in 1982 preparations were undertaken for a constitutional form of governmentForm of government
A form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...
. A civilian prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Mamane Oumarou
Mamane Oumarou
Mamane Oumarou is a Nigerien political figure who served two brief periods as Prime Minister of Niger during the 1980s. He has been Mediator of the Republic since 2008....
, was appointed on 24 January 1983. One year later, in January 1984, he established a commission to draft a pre-constitutional document, termed a 'national charter'. It was later approved in a national referendum. The charter provided for the establishment of non-elective, consultative institutions at both national and local levels.
Economic tensions and repression
Economic adjustment efforts during this period were impeded by the recurrence of drought in 1984 and 1985 along with the closure of the land border with NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from 1984 to 1986. Niger's dependence on external financial assistance was increased. Relations with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(by now the country's principal source of food aid) assumed considerable importance. Meanwhile, a period of renewed tension between Niger and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
had fueled Libyan accusations of the persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
of the light-skinned, nomadic Tuareg population by the Kountché regime. In May 1985, following an armed incident near the Niger-Libya border, all non-Nigerien Tuaregs were expelled from the country.
Death
Seyni Kountché's health deteriorated in late 1986 and it continued to worsen during 1987. He died at a Paris hospital of a brain tumorBrain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
on 10 November 1987. Ali Saïbou
Ali Saibou
Ali Saibou was the third President of Niger from 1987 to 1993 succeeding the deceased Seyni Kountché.A member of the Djerma people, he was born in Dingajibanda, a village in the Ouallam arrondissement. Although from Kountché's home village, Saibou is not a cousin...
succeeded him and on 14 November 1987, he was appointed president of the Supreme Military Council (CMS).
External links
- Visit of his excellency General Seyni Kountche includes text of speech Kountché made while in the US