Guinea’s junta leader, Gen. Mamady Doumbouya, has taken a strong lead in a presidential election. According to preliminary results, his principal competitors were prohibited from competing. Gen. Doumbouya wants to legitimise his dictatorship after seizing power in a coup four years ago.
A civil society organisation seeking the restoration of civilian administration denounced the election as a farce, while opposition candidates claimed it was riddled with irregularities.
NetBlocks, an internet monitoring organisation, reported on Monday that access to social media sites such as TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook had been limited as Guineans awaited the complete outcomes.
There has been no official statement on the constraints, but opposition figures believe the government is attempting to suppress criticism of the outcome. According to official partial results read out on television by Djenabou Toure, Director of the General Directorate of Elections, Gen. Doumbouya, 41, won more than 80% of the vote in many regions of the capital city, Conakry. Gen. Doumbouya had a comfortable advantage in various other regions, including Boffa and Fria in the west, Gaoual in the northwest, northern Koundara and Labe, and Nzerekore in the southeast.
After overthrowing then-83-year-old President Alpha Condé in 2021, he promised not to run for reelection and to give authority to a civilian. “Neither I nor any member of this transition will seek candidacy for anything. As soldiers, we value our word very much,” he stated during the time.
Gen. Doumbouya violated his commitment by placing his name on the ballot following the implementation of a new constitution in September, which allowed him to seek reelection. Eight other contenders ran in Sunday’s election, but none have strong political bases, with the exception of the main opposition parties RPG Arc en Ciel and UFDG.
Despite his popularity among Guinea’s youngsters, Gen. Doumbouya has been accused of limiting opposition operations, prohibiting demonstrations, and suppressing press freedom in the run-up to the elections. The general justified ousting Condé on comparable counts, including widespread corruption, disregard for human rights, and economic ineptitude.
Guinea has the world’s greatest bauxite reserves and some of the richest iron ore deposits. Last month, authorities opened the massive Simandou iron-ore mine, which drew great attention.
According to World Bank estimates, more than half of the population lives in poverty.
Guinea’s interim president, General Mamadi Doumbouya, 41, seized power from 81-year-old President Alpha Conde on 5th September 2021. He was sworn in as interim President of Guinea on the 1st of October, 2021.