Guinea’s junta leader General Mamadi Doumbouya was officially sworn in as president on Saturday, capping a decisive win in December’s presidential election. The inauguration took place at a newly constructed 55,000-seat stadium on the outskirts of Conakry, with African leaders and representatives from the African Union and ECOWAS in attendance.
Doumbouya first seized power during a 2021 military coup and initially pledged not to contest the presidency. However, he later oversaw constitutional reforms that lifted the ban on military leaders running for office and extended the presidential term from five to seven years. These changes paved the way for his candidacy.
Official election results confirmed Doumbouya’s dominance, awarding him 86.7 percent of the vote, while runner-up Yero Baldé received 6.59 percent. Baldé had filed a petition challenging the results, alleging manipulation by the electoral commission, but reportedly withdrew it a day before the Supreme Court ratified Doumbouya’s victory. Analysts had anticipated the landslide, pointing to Doumbouya’s consolidation of power and the lack of significant opposition among the eight other candidates.
Despite Guinea’s abundant mineral wealth, nearly half of its 15 million citizens live in poverty and face chronic food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. The new administration has prioritized economic revitalization through large-scale mining projects, including the 75 percent Chinese-owned Simandou iron ore project, which began production last year after decades of delays.
Doumbouya’s inauguration underscores a controversial transition from military ruler to elected president, raising questions about Guinea’s political landscape and the challenges facing its population amid ongoing economic and social pressures.
