CONAKRY — Guinea will hold a presidential election on December 28, the junta announced Saturday in a decree broadcast on state television, cementing the next step in the country’s turbulent transition from military rule.
The timetable was unveiled a day after the Supreme Court confirmed results of a September 21 constitutional referendum, clearing the legal path to the polls. Opposition parties had urged a boycott and sought to annul the outcome, accusing junta leader Gen. Mamady Doumbouya of using the new charter to entrench his rule. The court rejected their petition on Friday.
While the decree did not name candidates, signs point to Doumbouya running despite an earlier pledge not to. The new constitution reshapes executive powers and has been denounced by opponents as tailored for the incumbent. The presidency has not publicly addressed Doumbouya’s intentions.
Guinea, a mineral-rich but impoverished West African nation, has been plagued by coups and political violence. The military ousted elected president Alpha Condé in 2021, initially promising a return to civilian rule by 2024 before slipping that deadline.
International pressure is mounting. UN human rights chief Volker Türk this week urged the junta to lift bans on opposition parties and media outlets and criticized what he called a broader assault on fundamental freedoms since the coup, citing rising arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances.
Opposition groupings say a credible vote cannot occur unless political restrictions are removed, detainees are released, and the electoral commission operates independently. Civil society organizations have also called for a transparent voter register, equal media access, and robust observation to prevent violence and fraud.
With just over three months to go, key questions remain over candidate eligibility, security arrangements, and whether opposition parties will participate under current conditions. Diplomats said the coming weeks will test the junta’s willingness to allow a genuinely competitive race — and Guinea’s ability to break with a pattern of disputed ballots and post-election unrest.
