Guinea junta leader Doumbouya expected to win election

Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup, faces weak opposition as UN warns of intimidation and restricted freedoms ahead of the vote.

Guinea votes Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to give junta leader Mamady Doumbouya a seven-year mandate.

Doumbouya, a former special forces commander, seized power in a 2021 coup and leads a field of nine candidates with no strong challenger.

The United Nations says the run up to the election has been marred by intimidation and restrictions on civic freedoms.

Main opposition figures excluded

About 6.7 million people are registered to vote. Provisional results are expected within 48 to 72 hours after polls close.

Polling closes on Sunday at 6 p.m. local time (1800 UTC).

Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Conde four years ago.

He initially ruled out running but a new constitution passed in September removed a ban on junta members seeking office and extended presidential terms to seven years.

Conde and longtime opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo remain in exile, while other contenders were disqualified. Eight challengers remain, but analysts say none pose a serious threat.

"Let's not kid ourselves: there can be no other opponent who can challenge him," Guinean political analyst Bella Bah told the Reuters news agency earlier this week.

UN says election campaign marked by 'intimidation'

The UN rights chief, Volker Turk, warned that restrictions risk undermining the credibility of the vote.

"Ahead of Sunday's presidential election in Guinea, the civic and political space has been severely restricted, marked by intimidation of opposition actors, apparently politically-motivated enforced disappearances, and constraints on media freedom," Turk said in a statement on Friday.

He said the incidents, timed and seemingly targeted, are intimidating opposition figures, disrupting campaigns, and discouraging voter mobilization.

"They contribute to a climate of fear among political actors and the population at large, and risk undermining the credibility of the electoral process," he added.

Edited by: Kalika Mehta