Guinea’s transitional leader Mamady Doumbouya has officially submitted his candidacy for the presidential election scheduled for 28 December, a move that could extend his rule for another five years.
Doumbouya took power in 2021 when he led a coup that removed former president Alpha Conde. At the time, he pledged that neither he nor other members of the military leadership would stand in future elections. However, a new constitution introduced by the authorities and approved in a referendum in September has now cleared the way for his participation.
The revised charter replaces earlier transitional arrangements that had prevented junta officials from running. It also includes eligibility rules that require presidential candidates to be residents of Guinea and aged between 40 and 80.
These conditions exclude former president Alpha Conde, who is 87 and living abroad, as well as former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, currently in exile while facing corruption allegations which he denies.
Other political figures have entered the race, including former prime minister Lansana Kouyate and former foreign minister Hadja Makale Camara, who have both filed candidacy papers.
Guinea holds significant economic importance in West Africa. It possesses the world’s largest known reserves of bauxite, a key source of aluminium, and the vast Simandou iron ore deposit, regarded as one of the richest untapped mineral resources globally.
The December election will be closely watched both within the country and internationally, as many Guineans see it as a test of the nation’s return to constitutional rule after several years of military-led governance.