Guinea opposition alleges irregularities in constitutional referendum

DAKAR, Senegal — Guinea's opposition denounced on Wednesday alleged irregularities in a constitutional referendum that could allow the leader of the country's junta to run for president. Official results showed that 89.38% of voters backed the proposed constitution, the minister of territorial administration, Ibrahima Kalil Conde, said on Tuesday, slightly lower than the 90.06% of yes votes announced by the Directorate General of Elections the day before. Turnout was 86.42%, a comfortable margin above the 50% threshold required for passage.

Faya Millimono, leader of the opposition Liberal Bloc, said ballots were pre-marked, thousands were annulled, and local chiefs voted in place of citizens under pressure to suppress no votes on Sunday. "This is not a constitution that can be accepted as valid," Millimono told The Associated Press.

Guinea's junta, which seized power in 2021, has framed the plebiscite as a step toward restoring civilian rule. The draft constitution would permit junta members to stand for president, extend the term from five to seven years and renewable twice, and create a Senate in which one-third of seats would be appointed by the president. The government contends the vote reflects a constitutional mandate and will help reestablish normal democratic governance. The Directorate General of Elections, a body created by the junta, oversaw the process; its two heads were appointed by Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, who led the coup.

But rights groups and opposition supporters have denounced the process, arguing that opposition parties were suspended weeks before the vote and that dissenting voices faced pressure. The movement has long complained of disappearances and media censorship since Doumbouya took power in 2021. The referendum comes amid widespread poverty and growing food insecurity; the World Food Programme notes that more than half of Guinea's roughly 15 million people struggle with poverty or hunger despite the country’s mineral wealth.

Doumbouya had previously said he would not run for the presidency, but the draft constitution would permit junta members to run for office and extend the presidential mandate. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah told reporters Wednesday that the results represent a "mandate of trust" and pave the way toward civilian rule. "Both the 'yes' and the 'no' votes expressed the vitality of our democracy," Bah said, highlighting that turnout and engagement reflect public involvement in the transition.

In West Africa, Guinea's experience mirrors a broader regional trend in which several governments have relied on military force to rearrange political order. The referendum is a critical step in Doumbouya's stated plan to transition to civilian governance, but critics say the measure consolidates the junta's grip by enabling its leaders to seek the presidency and extending the presidential mandate. The date of elections for a civilian government remains unannounced, with officials indicating they could occur later this year but offering no fixed timetable.

Observers and opponents caution that the apparent margin may be overshadowed by reported irregularities and that independent auditing of results will be essential to credible transition. As Guinea proceeds with this process, its path toward civilian rule will likely influence regional assessments of stability, governance, and humanitarian conditions in a volatile, resource-rich nation.