CONAKRY, Guinea — Guinea’s transitional leader and former coup commander Gen. Mamady Doumbouya has been declared the winner of the December 28 presidential election, according to provisional results released on Tuesday by the country’s electoral authority.
The announcement marks a decisive victory for Doumbouya and formally concludes the nation’s return to civilian rule after a military takeover in 2021.
Provisional results from the General Directorate of Elections (DGE) show Doumbouya securing a commanding 86.72 percent of the vote, comfortably surpassing the threshold required to win the presidency in the first round and avoid a runoff.
Voter turnout was reported at 80.95 percent of the approximately 6.7 million registered voters, though these figures have been contested by some opposition observers.
Doumbouya’s nearest rival, Abdoulaye Yéro Baldé of the Democratic Front of Guinea (FRONDEG) and a former education minister under ex-President Alpha Condé, trailed distantly with roughly 6.5 percent of the vote. Other minor candidates collectively garnered only small shares of the ballots.
The election represents the first presidential poll since Doumbouya — then a special forces commander — orchestrated a coup in September 2021, overthrowing long-time President Alpha Condé, who had been in power since 2010. At the time, Doumbouya’s transitional charter barred members of the military from contesting elections.
However, a new constitution approved in a September referendum eliminated that restriction and extended the presidential term from five to seven years, enabling Doumbouya’s candidacy.
The Supreme Court now has eight days to validate the provisional results if any legal challenges are filed.
Critics of the voting process argue that the election was held in a constrained political environment, marked by restrictions on dissent, media limitations, and a weakened opposition.
More than 50 political parties were dissolved prior to the polls, and key opposition leaders are either in exile or barred from participating.
Many opposition activists and civil society groups have denounced the election as deeply flawed and lacking genuine competition.
United Nations officials, including the human rights chief, noted campaign conditions that were “severely restricted,” with reports of intimidation, limited observer access, and constraints on media freedom. Some opposition figures also alleged irregularities at polling and counting stations.
Despite the controversy, several minor candidates acknowledged Doumbouya’s victory and extended their congratulations. Officials from the electoral authority described the voting process as generally calm and orderly, with no major security incidents reported.
Guinea, a West African nation rich in mineral resources, holds the world’s largest bauxite reserves and one of the most valuable untapped iron ore deposits at Simandou — a project that was officially launched last month after years of delay.
Doumbouya has frequently cited such investments as proof of his leadership’s economic vision, asserting that the country will benefit more from its natural wealth under his administration.
However, critics counter that resource nationalism — including the controversial revocation of foreign mining licenses — has created tensions with international investors and raised concerns about economic stability.
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Doumbouya, in his early 40s, now embarks on a seven-year presidential mandate that will shape Guinea’s political trajectory for the remainder of the decade.
The international community will be watching closely to see how his government balances questions of democratic governance, human rights, and economic development.
Guinea’s election follows a broader trend of military-led governments in parts of West and Central Africa seeking electoral legitimacy after coups, a phenomenon observers say reflects structural weaknesses in democratic institutions across the region.
