Guinea vote could see coup leader run for president

Guinea organizes a long -awaited referendum on a new constitution that can allow the President to run for the President if chosen by the coup leader Mamady Doumbousa – something he promised not to do when he did not seize power in 2021.

The military leadership in Guinea, which hosts the world’s largest bauxite reserves, missed its deadline for December 31, 2024, and returned to civilian rules. The presidential elections are expected to take place in December.

Critics fear that the constitutional referendum is an attempt to legitimize the administration of Western and Central Africa, where eight coups between 2020 and 2023 reshape the regional political landscape.

On Sunday, the referendum was seen as a step towards the elections and a return to civilian government in Guinea, while Doumbodia’s rivals caught a power by him.

He didn’t say whether he was planning to take office yet. A transition regulation accepted after the government strengthened by the government, Junta members will stand in the next election, he said.

It seems likely to pass the referendum because Cellou Dalein Diallo, two main opposition leaders and former president Alpha Conde, wanted to boycott the vote.

The parties are currently suspended and accused the Human Rights Monitoring Organization of eliminating the government and suspending media organizations arbitrarily.

The government rejected any role in disappearances, but promised to investigate such allegations.

The new Constitution can be renewed once in the presidential period once from five years and will create a senate and one -third of the senators has been directly appointed by the President.

In the last days of the campaign, Capital Conakry ended with small white posters containing the word “yes” besides a green confirmation.