Lansana Conté, who ruled Guinea for 24 years, passed away in Conakry on December 22, 2008, due to health complications. His long presidency was marked by accusations of authoritarianism, corruption, and electoral manipulation. Following his death, the military seized the moment to instigate a coup d'état. Captain Moussa Dadis Camara of the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) announced the takeover through national television, asserting that the military would uphold law and order. The coup was met with mixed reactions from the populace, as some were relieved at the end of Conté's rule while others feared military governance.

The CNDD placed the country under a state of emergency and closed borders while announcing it would oversee the transition towards a new government. This militaristic approach raised alarms among international observers, including the African Union, which urged for the restoration of constitutional order. The swift military actions demonstrated a fragility in governance structures within Guinea, a nation grappling with political instability.

Despite the coup leaders' initial promises of a return to civilian rule, tensions soon escalated within the junta and between opposing factions, leading to ongoing strife in the nation. The establishment of an interim government was proposed but did not quell the dissent and complications from the central leadership.