Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, the military leader of Guinea since a coup four years ago, has officially entered the presidential race, thereby contradicting his earlier commitment to return power to a civilian administration. On Monday, he submitted his candidacy to the Supreme Court accompanied by soldiers, though he did not provide any public statements.
The upcoming presidential election, scheduled for December, will be marked by the exclusion of two major opposition parties, RPG Arc en Ciel and UFDG, raising concerns regarding the election’s overall credibility. Recently, Guineans were surprised to learn that the required deposit for presidential candidates is set at 875 million Guinean francs (approximately $100,000). This figure is slightly higher than the previous deposit of 800 million francs, and there were hopes among some analysts for a reduction to broaden participation in these significant elections.
Col. Doumbouya had previously assured that neither he nor any of his fellow military leaders would seek election, emphasizing the value of their word. The current election will occur under a new constitution that permits Doumbouya to run. Since taking power, the regime has faced scrutiny for suppressing dissent, including limiting media outlets, restricting internet access, and violently cracking down on protests against military rule, despite initially justifying the coup by citing allegations of corruption and human rights abuses under former President Alpha Condé.
Col. Doumbouya, aged 40, is noted as the youngest head of state in Africa and has a 15-year military background, including international missions. The election will also be conducted without several notable political figures, such as ousted President Alpha Condé and former Prime Ministers Cellou Dalein Diallo and Sidya Touré, who are currently in exile.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly10e87d08o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss