20101019
RFI

Police in Guinea opened fire on people in Conakry on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring 29, according to newswire AFP who spoke to a doctor on the scene. Supporters of presidential candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo reportedly threw stones at police, who retaliated with gunfire, as the country is counting down to Sunday's second round presidential poll.

Prime Minister Jean-Marie Doré and the head of the gendarmes have ordered security forces to take drastic measures against anyone disrupting public peace, according to our correspondent Karim Camara in Conakry.

This once-delayed second-round vote will decide whether Cellou Cellein Diallo, a former prime minister, or verteran opposition leader Alpha Condé will become president.

Nancy Palus/IRIN

Guinean voters.

Diallo has called for the head of the country's electoral commission, Louceny Camara, to stand down, saying that he is a staunch supporter of Conde. Cellein Diallo and his followers are calling to boycott the vote on Sunday if he is not immediately replaced. A Conakry court will consider the case on Thursday.

"Diallo is very very weak in this situation because they should have moved these guys before," said Alhousseine Bah, from Alliance Guinea, a non-governmental organisation.

"Konate should know, this is the main interest of the nation. This is a situation where they have to get an agreement from the two parties, because this is not the only Guinean who could lead the electoral commission (CENI)," Bah told RFI.

Schools and business centres remained closed throughout Tuesday in the troubled area of Bambeto.