Gambiaj.com – (CONAKRY, Guinea) – Guinea’s junta leader, General Mamadi Doumbouya, has emerged with a commanding lead over his eight rivals in Sunday’s presidential election, according to the first provisional partial official results released on Monday evening, December 29.
Results announced on state broadcaster RTG by the Director General of Elections, Djenabou Touré, show General Doumbouya winning overwhelming majorities across key municipalities in the capital, Conakry.
In districts including Kaloum, Matam, Sonfonia, and Ratoma, the junta leader secured scores often exceeding 80 percent.
The early results also indicate a similar trend beyond the capital. General Doumbouya is leading comfortably in Coyah, near Conakry, as well as in several provincial areas, including Boffa and Fria in western Guinea, Gaoual in the northwest, Koundara and Labé in the north, and Nzérékoré in the southeast.
Widely viewed as the favorite, General Doumbouya appears on course for a first-round victory in an election organized more than four years after the September 2021 coup that ousted President Alpha Condé, who had ruled Guinea since 2010.
High Turnout Claimed Amid Boycott Calls
According to the electoral authority, voter participation stood at 85 percent, a figure presented by Djenabou Touré as a key outcome of the vote in the absence of heavyweight opposition candidates. Nearly 6.8 million voters, including about 125,000 Guineans abroad, were registered to take part in the election.
However, the reported turnout has been strongly contested by opposition-linked groups. The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC), a citizens’ movement demanding a return to civilian rule, rejected the official figures, describing the poll as an “electoral charade.” In a statement issued Monday, the FNDC claimed that “an overwhelming majority of Guineans chose to boycott” the vote, though it provided no supporting data.
Most prominent opposition leaders were barred from contesting the election and had called on their supporters to stay away from the polls, arguing that the process lacked credibility and took place in a context of shrinking political freedoms.
Allegations of Irregularities
Three presidential candidates publicly denounced the conduct of the vote. Abdoulaye Yéro Baldé alleged “serious irregularities,” including restricted access to vote-counting commissions and ballot stuffing in certain areas.
Faya Millimono, leader of the Bloc Libéral (BL), alleged multiple irregularities in several parts of the country, including what he described as undue administrative requirements imposed on party delegates and cases of interference inside polling stations.
He warned against any attempt to manipulate the outcome and said his party would document all reported anomalies.
“We will not accept that anything is stolen before our eyes,” Millimono said, while calling on his delegates to remain vigilant and avoid provocation as the counting process continues.
Another presidential contender, Mohamed Nabé of the ARP party, adopted a more measured tone, stating that his acceptance of the results would depend on the credibility of the process.
While ruling out street protests, he emphasized that any contestation would follow legal channels. “We know the legal avenues of appeal; we are a law-abiding party and will seek redress through the Supreme Court if necessary,” he said.
Security Remains Tight
In a televised address on Monday morning, the head of the gendarmerie, General Balla Samoura, urged security forces to maintain heightened vigilance until the conclusion of all electoral operations. He said no major incidents were recorded on election day.
Security concerns remain elevated following an announcement by the security forces on Saturday evening that they had “neutralized” members of an armed group with “subversive intentions threatening national security” in the suburbs of Conakry.
On Monday, armored vehicles and security patrols were still visible at several intersections in the capital. Nevertheless, daily life had largely returned to normal, with major markets and public services reopening and residents resuming routine activities.
The electoral commission is expected to continue releasing provisional results in the coming days, ahead of the final certification of the vote.
