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Voters in Guinea have overwhelmingly approved a new constitution that could open the way for coup leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya to contest the presidency later this year. Partial results released late Monday showed 90.6 percent of ballots cast in favour of the draft law, with only 9.4 percent against, according to the General Directorate of Elections.
The head of the electoral body, Djenabou Toure, told reporters that the tally was based on 91 percent of votes counted. So far, more than 4.8 million votes had been recorded out of the country’s 6.6 million registered voters, indicating turnout above 70 percent. An official nationwide turnout figure is still awaited.
The referendum was presented by authorities as a critical step toward returning the country to civilian rule. But opposition groups and international observers say it may also provide a legal pathway for Doumbouya himself to run for office, raising concerns about whether Guinea is sliding back into personal rule.
Doumbouya, 40, first rose to power in September 2021 after toppling long-time President Alpha Conde. At the time, his junta announced a transition charter that banned members of the ruling council from contesting future elections. That restriction, however, was not included in the new constitution placed before voters on Sunday.
Political opponents argue that its removal is deliberate. “This referendum is not about democracy, it is about legitimising one man’s ambition,” an opposition figure said, echoing a widespread sentiment among critics. Two leading opposition leaders — Cellou Dalein Diallo, who contested previous elections, and former president Alpha Conde — had called for a boycott of the vote. Their parties remain suspended by authorities.
Human Rights Watch and other organisations have accused Doumbouya’s government of using repression to silence dissent. Reports include the forced disappearance of political opponents and the arbitrary suspension of media outlets. The government has denied involvement in disappearances but promised to investigate.
Despite the controversies, Sunday’s vote went ahead under tight security. Doumbouya himself, a former member of the French Foreign Legion, cast his ballot in Conakry alongside his wife. He appeared in a casual outfit, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap decorated with a traditional fertility mask design. He has not announced whether he intends to contest the presidential election, which the transitional authorities have now scheduled for December 2025.
The government had earlier promised to hand power back to civilians by December 31, 2024, but missed that deadline. The delay added to skepticism from both Guinean citizens and regional observers, who worry that the transition is being dragged out to suit political interests.
Guinea is a strategically important country in West Africa. It holds the world’s largest reserves of bauxite, a key ore used in aluminium production, and has significant deposits of gold and iron ore. Political instability in the country has previously rattled global markets, making its transition closely watched by investors and foreign governments.
Doumbouya came to power during a wave of military takeovers that swept West and Central Africa between 2020 and 2023. In total, eight coups took place across the region, from Mali and Burkina Faso to Gabon and Niger. Guinea’s referendum is therefore also seen as a test case for how military rulers might seek legitimacy through constitutional reforms rather than direct force.
For now, the outcome of the referendum appears clear. But the bigger question is whether Doumbouya will declare himself a candidate in December’s vote. If he does, Guinea’s political future may face another turning point, one that pits the promise of democratic transition against the reality of entrenched military power.
