Mamady Doumbouya Sworn In as Guinea's President Following Military-Led Transition
General Mamady Doumbouya, who led a military coup in 2021, has been officially sworn in as the President of Guinea. The ceremony follows his decisive victory in the country's first election since the takeover, where he secured 86.7% of the vote. The event, attended by regional heads of state, marks a formal but controversial transition from military junta to civilian rule, underpinned by a new constitution that allowed military leaders to run for office and extended presidential terms.
In a significant political development for West Africa, General Mamady Doumbouya has been formally inaugurated as the President of Guinea. The swearing-in ceremony, held on January 18, 2026, at the General Lansana Conte Stadium in Conakry, represents the culmination of a political transition that began with a military takeover in 2021. This event marks Guinea's return to a form of electoral politics, albeit one deeply shaped by the military leadership that has governed the country for the past four years.
The Path from Coup to Presidency
The journey to this inauguration began in September 2021 when then-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya led a military junta that ousted President Alpha Conde. Conde, who in 2010 became Guinea's first democratically elected leader since independence, had sparked widespread protests by altering the constitution to run for a controversial third term. Doumbouya justified the coup by citing rampant corruption and economic mismanagement under Conde's administration. Initially, Doumbouya pledged not to run for president, positioning the military's role as a corrective, transitional force. However, this position shifted as the junta consolidated power.
The 2025 Election and Constitutional Changes
The election held in December 2025 was the first electoral test since the coup. According to reporting by Al Jazeera, the political landscape was heavily constrained. Doumbouya's most prominent political opponents remained in exile, and the opposition coalition called for a boycott of the poll, arguing the process was neither free nor fair. Doumbouya ultimately stood against eight other candidates. The electoral process was preceded by a critical constitutional referendum in September 2025. The new constitution, approved by voters, contained two pivotal changes: it permitted members of the military leadership to run for civilian office, and it extended presidential terms from five to seven years, with a two-term limit. This legal framework paved the way for Doumbouya's candidacy. Guinea's Supreme Court later certified the results, announcing that Doumbouya had received 86.7 percent of the vote.
The Inauguration and Regional Reception
The swearing-in was a major state event, drawing tens of thousands of supporters to the stadium. Dressed in traditional gown, Doumbouya swore an oath to uphold the newly minted constitution. The ceremony's attendance list provided a snapshot of Guinea's diplomatic relationships and the complex politics of the Sahel region. Heads of state from Rwanda, The Gambia, and Senegal were present, alongside high-ranking officials from China, Nigeria, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, France, and the United States. Notably, the event was also attended by General Assimi Goita, the military leader of neighbouring Mali who seized power in a 2020 coup, highlighting a trend of military-political transitions in the region.
Challenges and Promises for the New Administration
President Doumbouya assumes office facing profound challenges. His four-year tenure as junta leader was marked by the dissolution of state institutions, the suspension of the previous constitution, and a crackdown on civil liberties, including banned protests and the targeting of political opponents. Economically, the task is immense. Despite possessing the world's largest reserves of bauxite and significant untapped iron ore deposits, approximately 52 percent of Guinea's population lives in poverty. Doumbouya has pledged to leverage these natural resources to improve the nation's economic fortunes. His administration will also need to navigate ongoing relationships with regional bodies like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with which the junta negotiated the terms of the return to civilian rule.
The inauguration of Mamady Doumbouya closes one chapter in Guinea's modern history—the period of explicit military rule—while opening another defined by a powerful presidency born from that same military intervention. It establishes a model where the leaders of a coup can transition, through a controlled electoral process, into the constitutional leaders of the state. The coming years will test whether this model can deliver stability and prosperity to Guinea, or if it entrenches a system where democratic forms mask authoritarian realities. The international community and the people of Guinea will be watching closely as President Doumbouya's seven-year term begins.
