Guinea's Junta Leader Elected President, Surprising Absolutely No One
Doumbouya, who seized power in 2021, secured a 'sweeping majority' in an election where primary opposition leaders were conveniently barred from running and urged a boycott ( The Guardian ). This familiar playbook – a strongman promising to restore civilian rule, then opting to become said civilian rule – is right out of the neocolonial era handbook. It’s almost as reliable as a US politician
accepting a hefty donation and then voting the party line on defense spending. Where's the shock here? We saw variations of this when the US-backed coup in Egypt brought Sisi to power, or recall the endless 'democratic transitions' that end with the same old uniforms wearing new suits. The media will dutifully report the 'election results,' implying a legitimacy that vanished the moment opposition
was sidelined. It's not a 'boycott' when the game is rigged; it's a refusal to dignify a charade. But hey, at least he secured a 'sweeping majority,' which, in these contexts, usually means the fewer voters, the higher the percentage of 'yes' votes.