Guinea military government leader enters presidential race

"Guinea's military government leader, Mamady Doumbouya, has officially entered the presidential race, submitting his candidacy for the December 28 elections, aimed at restoring constitutional order following the general's 2021 coup. Doumbouya arrived at the West African country's Supreme Court in an armoured vehicle on Monday to formally hand in his candidacy, surrounded by special forces. He left without giving a statement."

"Thousands of his supporters, who had travelled to the capital, Conakry, by bus, gathered outside the court, chanting: Mamady champion, Mamady president, Mamady already elected! Doumbouya, 40, had promised not to run when he seized power in 2021. But a new constitution pushed by the military government and approved in a referendum in September opened the door to his candidacy."

"The new charter replaced arrangements agreed to after the coup, which had barred members of the military government from contesting elections. It also requires presidential candidates to live in Guinea and be between 40 and 80 years old. This would bar two potentially powerful candidates former President Alpha Conde, 87, the country's first freely-elected president, who lives abroad, and former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, 73, who is in exile over corruption allegations that he denies."

Mamady Doumbouya formally submitted his presidential candidacy for the December 28 election, arriving at the Supreme Court in an armoured vehicle accompanied by special forces and leaving without comment. Thousands of supporters traveled by bus to Conakry and gathered outside the court, chanting in his favour. Doumbouya, 40, had pledged not to run after seizing power in 2021 but became eligible after a new constitution approved in September replaced post-coup arrangements and removed bans on military government members running. The constitution requires residency and an age range of 40–80, barring some prominent exiled or elderly figures, while other former ministers have applied and the opposition alliance condemned the candidacy.

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