Guineans Head to Polls in Presidential Election
Nine contenders received Supreme Court certification for the 2025 race after more than 50 individuals initially sought candidacy.
Transitional President Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya—a special-forces officer with international military experience—orchestrated a nonviolent seizure of authority on September 5, 2021, deposing President Alpha Conde. Analysts anticipate Doumbouya will secure a seven-year mandate.
Key opposition figures remain excluded from the ballot. Former President Conde of the Rally of the Guinean People (RPG Arc-en-ciel) surpassed the 80-year age threshold, while Sidya Toure of the Union of Republican Forces (UFR) and Cellou Dalein Diallo of the suspended Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) are living abroad in exile.
Former Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate and ex-minister Ousmane Kaba also failed to qualify.
With major opponents sidelined, Doumbouya confronts eight challengers who command minimal public recognition or grassroots organizational strength.
His rivals include former cabinet officials Abdoulaye Yero Balde, Hadja Makale Camara, and Ibrahima Abe Sylla.
Approximately 6.7 million registered citizens accessed polling locations nationwide during the 7 am to 6 pm voting window.
Stations launched operations punctually amid high participation rates, especially in Sonfonia—a northern Conakry suburb—where authorities implemented comprehensive security protocols and vowed to deliver preliminary tallies at unprecedented speed.
In Sonfonia, a newly autonomous commune distinguished by residential neighborhoods and university facilities, citizens arrived in substantial numbers from dawn. "From the early hours of the morning, the commune of Sonfonia saw particular activity around various polling centers, already stormed by determined voters eager to make their voices heard," Guinean journalist Saly Sow told media. Extended lines developed in orderly fashion.
Initial supply deficiencies—including insufficient ballots or permanent ink—emerged at certain locations but received swift resolution from the Communal Election Directorate (DCE). "We opened our station at exactly 7:00 am. The queues formed immediately. Everything is going very well," one polling station president told media over the phone, praising the organization and voters' responsible behavior.
The Ministry of Security and Civil Protection positioned 11,626 law enforcement personnel throughout the nation to maintain electoral tranquility.
Conakry received 7,878 deployed agents, with regional allocations including 1,332 in Kindia, 688 in Kankan, and 477 in NZerekore. Authorities encouraged public composure while reaffirming dedication to transparent procedures.
Before election day, the Directorate General of Elections (DGE) attempted to manage expectations regarding announcement schedules.
During Saturday's media briefing, DGE Director General Djenabou Toure committed to releasing comprehensive provisional outcomes within 72 hours maximum—potentially partial data within 48 hours—leveraging advanced technology and fiber-optic infrastructure connecting all 33 prefectures to Conakry. "We will meet the challenge," she emphasized, highlighting efforts to expedite processing of vote tallies.
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