Guinea coup chief Doumbouya elected president in provisional outcomes

[ad_1] Guinea coup chief Mamady Doumbouya has been elected president, in keeping with provisional outcomes introduced on Tuesday, finishing the return to civilian rule within the bauxite- and iron ore-rich West African nation.

The previous particular forces commander, regarded as in his early 40s, seized energy in 2021, toppling then president Alpha Conde, who had been in workplace since 2010. It was one in a sequence of 9 coups which have reshaped politics in West and Central Africa since 2020.

Provisional outcomes introduced on Tuesday confirmed Doumbouya successful 86.72% of the December 28 vote, an absolute majority that permits him to keep away from a runoff.

The Supreme Courtroom has eight days to validate the leads to the occasion of any problem.

Doumbouya’s victory, which provides him a seven-year mandate, was broadly anticipated. Conde and Cellou Dalein Diallo, Guinea’s longtime opposition chief, are in exile, leaving Doumbouya to face a fragmented subject of eight challengers.

Doumbouya reversed pledge to not run Guinea’s unique post-coup constitution barred junta members from working in elections, however a brand new structure dropping these restrictions was handed in a September referendum.

Djenabou Toure, the nation’s prime election official who introduced the outcomes on Tuesday evening, stated turnout was 80.95%. Nonetheless, voter participation appeared tepid within the capital, Conakry, and opposition politicians rejected equally excessive turnout figures reported for the September referendum.

Guinea holds the world’s largest bauxite reserves and the richest untapped iron ore deposit at Simandou, formally launched final month after years of delay.

Learn extra Guineans vote in first presidential election since 2021 coup

Doumbouya has claimed credit score for pushing the venture ahead and making certain Guinea advantages from its output.

His authorities additionally revoked the licence of Emirates World Aluminium’s subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Company, this 12 months following a refinery dispute, transferring the unit’s property to a state-owned agency.

The flip in the direction of useful resource nationalism — echoed in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — has boosted his reputation, as has his relative youth in a rustic the place the median age is about 19.

Political house restricted, UN says Political debate has been muted underneath Doumbouya. Civil society teams accuse his authorities of banning protests, curbing press freedom and proscribing opposition exercise.

The marketing campaign interval was “severely restricted, marked by intimidation of opposition actors, apparently politically motivated enforced disappearances, and constraints on media freedom,” UN rights chief Volker Turk stated final week.

On Monday, opposition candidate Faya Lansana Millimono informed a press convention the election was marred by “systematic fraudulent practices” and that observers have been prevented from monitoring the voting and counting processes.