Guinea will hold first post-coup presidential election on Dec. 28

CONAKRY, Guinea — Guineans will hold a presidential election on Dec. 28, its first since the country's leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya took power in a 2021 coup, according to a presidential decree read on state television.

The announcement was made on Saturday, a day after the Supreme Court validated the results of a constitutional referendum that could allow Doumbouya to run for president.

Guinea is one of several West African countries where the military has taken power and delayed a return to civilian rule. Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, in power since 2021, agreed in 2022 to launch a democratic transition after a Dec. 31, 2024, deadline.

The ruling junta’s failure to meet the deadline led to opposition protests that paralyzed Guinea’s capital Conakry in January.

Doumbouya initially said he would not run for president, but the draft constitution approved last week allows junta members to run for office, and extends the presidential mandate from five to seven years, renewable twice.