Guinea's military commander enters presidential race

The military commander who ruled Guinea four years ago has entered the presidential race for the upcoming election.

According to BBC News Africa, on November 3, Gen Mamadi Dougbouya had broken his promise to hand power over to a civilian government.

Doumbouya had submitted his candidacy to the Supreme Court on November 3. When doing so, he made no public announcement.

Guineans and analysts are surprised by how the elections are conducted. In October, it was announced that presidential candidates would need to pay a deposit of 875m Guinean francs ($100,000; £75,000) to contest the election.

This has led people to be concerned about the election process, as it does not give enough people the chance to participate in these historic elections, limiting the number of candidates, regardless of whether the deposit rises or stays the same.

Four years ago, Gen Doumbouya made a promise to hand power back to civilians, stating, “Neither I nor any member of this transition will be a candidate for anything, as soldiers, we value our word very much.”

The Guinean military junta has been ruling since September 2021, and the Directorate General of Elections (DGE) manages elections.

Doumbouya announced on June 14 that the DGE will be responsible for electoral fairness and that the two heads of the institution will be appointed by presidential decree.

The junta rule has been criticised mainly for suspending media outlets, restricting internet access and suppressing demonstrators.

The poles opened in September 2025 for the referendum. The referendum is a vital part of Guinea’s move from military to civilian rule and is being monitored.

Although critics were hesitant, labelled it a power grab, and worried it would allow Gen Doumbouya to seek the presidency and legitimise his military rule.

Gen. Doumbouya, at 40, is currently the youngest African head of state. And before seizing power in the 2021 coup, he was a middle-ranking soldier. Having served 15 years in the military, he’d executed missions in Afghanistan, Cyprus, the UK, Guinea, and many other locations.

December’s election will take place in the absence of several prominent figures, many of whom are currently living abroad.

BBC News Africa, Maghrebi.org