Guinea’s military ruler, Mamady Doumbouya, has been cleared by the Supreme Court to contest in next month’s presidential election, despite his earlier promise not to run when he seized power in 2021.
According to a list released by the court over the weekend, Doumbouya and eight other candidates have been approved to participate in the December 28 presidential election, which is expected to mark a formal end to military rule in the West African nation.
The decision follows the adoption of a new constitution backed by the junta and approved in a September referendum, which paved the way for Doumbouya’s candidacy.
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Two of Guinea’s most prominent political figures former President Alpha Condé and former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo were barred from contesting under new age and residency restrictions introduced in the constitution.
Doumbouya, who announced his bid last week, will run as an independent candidate, facing a field largely made up of lesser-known rivals, including Abdoulaye Yero Baldé, a former higher education minister and deputy central bank governor, and Faya Millimono, an opposition leader critical of the junta.
Former Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté, whose application was rejected, has said he intends to appeal the decision.
Doumbouya’s military government initially agreed to a two-year transition after negotiations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2022 but missed that deadline. The upcoming election is now being viewed as the final step in restoring civilian governance
