Guineans are voting Sunday to elect a new president in the country’s first election since a 2021 coup.
Sunday’s election is the culmination of a transition process that began four years ago after President Mamady Doumbouya ousted then president Alpha Condé. There are eight other candidates in the race.
Despite Guinea’s rich mineral resources – including as the world’s biggest exporter of bauxite, used to make aluminium – more than half of its 15 million people are experiencing record levels of poverty and food insecurity, according to the World Food Program.
“This vote is the hope of young people, especially for us unemployed," said Idrissa Camara, an 18-year-old resident of Conakry, who said he has been unemployed since graduating from university five years ago. "I’m forced to do odd jobs to survive. I hope this vote will improve the standard of living and the quality of life in Guinea," he added.
Surge in coups
The election is the latest such vote among African countries that have seen a surge in coups in recent years. At least 10 countries in the young continent have experienced soldiers forcefully taking power after accusing elected leaders of failing to provide good governance and security for citizens.
A total of nine candidates are contesting the election, and Doumbouya’s closest challenger is the little-known Yero Baldé of the Democratic Front of Guinea party, who was education minister under Condé.
Two opposition candidates, former Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté and former government minister Ousmane Kaba, were excluded on technical grounds while longtime opposition leaders Cellou Dalein Diallo and Sidya Toure have been forced into exile.
About 6.7 million registered voters are expected to cast ballots at roughly 24,000 polling stations nationwide, with results expected within 48 hours. There will be a runoff if no candidate wins a majority of the votes.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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