Guinea’s military ruler, Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, has formally entered the country’s presidential race, defying a pledge he made four years ago to restore civilian rule and refrain from seeking office.
The junta leader submitted his candidacy papers to the Supreme Court on Monday, arriving in a military convoy and wearing his trademark dark sunglasses.
He offered no public remarks, but his presence alone sent a clear message: he is now seeking to transform his transitional leadership into an elected mandate.
Doumbouya’s move comes amid mounting concerns over the credibility of next month’s election, especially after two of Guinea’s major opposition parties — RPG Arc-en-Ciel and UFDG — were barred from participating.
Public unease intensified last month when authorities set the presidential candidacy deposit at 875 million Guinean francs ($100,000; £75,000). While only slightly higher than the previous fee of 800 million francs, many analysts had hoped the transitional government would lower the cost to encourage broader participation in what was supposed to be a democratic turning point.
Broken Promise
When Doumbouya seized power in a 2021 coup, ousting then–83-year-old President Alpha Condé, he vowed that neither he nor any member of his junta would contest future elections.
“Neither I nor any member of this transition will be a candidate for anything… As soldiers, we value our word,” he declared at the time.
However, the new constitution adopted during the transition opened a legal pathway for him to run — a move critics view as engineered specifically for his political ambitions.
Crackdown Under Military Rule
Since taking power, the junta has been widely accused of cracking down on dissent. Authorities have suspended media outlets, restricted internet access, and violently dispersed protests calling for a return to democratic rule.
Ironically, Doumbouya justified overthrowing President Condé on similar grounds — blaming him for authoritarian excesses, corruption, and human rights violations.
A Young Commander With Global Experience
Before leading the coup, the 40-year-old Doumbouya was a mid-level officer with a 15-year military career that included missions in Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, the Central African Republic, and security assignments in Israel, Cyprus, the UK, and Guinea. Today, he is one of Africa’s youngest heads of state.
Key Figures Missing From the Ballot
The December election will unfold without several of Guinea’s most prominent political figures. Former President Condé and ex-Prime Ministers Cellou Dalein Diallo and Sidya Touré all remain in exile, further raising questions about the openness and fairness of the upcoming vote.
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