Guinea Military Leader Doumbouya Secures Landslide Victory Amid Fraud Claims and Boycott - FrontPageAfrica

Guinea’s military ruler, Gen. Mamady Doumbouya, has been declared the winner of the country’s presidential election by a landslide, securing 86.7 percent of the vote, according to provisional results released by the national election commission.

Gen. Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup that ousted then-President Alpha Condé, is seeking to legitimize his rule through the ballot after his transitional government was condemned by regional bodies including the African Union and ECOWAS.

However, the poll has been widely criticized by opposition figures and civil society groups. A coalition advocating a return to civilian rule dismissed the election as a “charade,” arguing that key opposition candidates were barred from contesting and that the process was riddled with irregularities, according to the BBC.

Provisional results show Abdoulaye Yero Baldé of the Democratic Front of Guinea finishing a distant second with 6.6 percent, followed by Faya Lansana Millimono of the Liberal Bloc with 2 percent. Six of the remaining eight candidates garnered less than two percent each, with Mohamed Nabé receiving just 0.8 percent.

The election was further marred by controversy over alleged restrictions on internet access. On Monday, internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported disruptions to social media platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook as Guineans awaited the full results. While authorities have offered no official explanation, opponents say the move was aimed at suppressing criticism.

Millimono accused the authorities of “systematic fraudulent practices,” citing the expulsion of poll observers, ballot stuffing, and voter intimidation. The ruling party and government have not responded to the allegations.

Election commission chair Djenabou Touré announced voter turnout at more than 80 percent, a claim sharply disputed by the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution, which said a majority of Guineans boycotted what it described as an “electoral charade.”

Doumbouya’s victory grants him a seven-year mandate, subject to validation by the Supreme Court within eight days if the results are contested.

After toppling Condé in 2021, Doumbouya had pledged not to contest future elections or extend the military transition. “Neither I nor any member of this transition will be a candidate for anything,” he said at the time. That pledge was later reversed after a new constitution adopted in September cleared the way for his candidacy.

While popular among segments of Guinea’s youth, Doumbouya has faced growing criticism for restricting opposition activities, banning protests, and curbing press freedom ahead of the vote—charges similar to those he leveled against Condé to justify the coup.

Guinea is home to the world’s largest bauxite reserves and vast iron-ore deposits.

Yet despite its mineral wealth, more than half of the population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank.

Meanwhile, here in Liberia, authorities closely monitored developments. On the eve of the vote, Guinea’s borders with Liberia were closed, heightening regional attention to the highly contested election outcome. According to FrontPage Africa’s correspondent in the commercial hub of Ganta, the border is now open and movements between the two countries have resumed.