Guinea junta leader Mamady Doumbouya was sworn in as president on Saturday in front of tens of thousands of supporters and several heads of state, following his election victory last month.
Doumbouya toppled Guinea’s first freely elected president, Alpha Conde, in 2021 and has since cracked down on civil liberties, banned protests, and targeted opposition figures through arrests, trials, or exile.
The country’s Supreme Court validated his victory days after the late December poll, crediting him with 86.7 percent of the vote.
Wearing a traditional gown, Doumbouya swore an oath to uphold the constitution—which he had altered to allow his candidacy—during an hours-long ceremony at General Lansana Conte Stadium on the outskirts of Conakry.
Although he initially pledged not to run for president after seizing power, Doumbouya ultimately stood in an election where all main opposition leaders were barred.
Thousands of spectators in green, yellow, and red T-shirts, the colors of the national flag, attended a pre-inauguration concert featuring musicians from across the region. Heads of state from Rwanda, The Gambia, Senegal, and other African countries were present, alongside General Assimi Goita, the current leader of Mali.
In September, Guineans approved a new constitution in a referendum, allowing junta members to run for office and extending presidential terms from five to seven years, renewable once.
