Guinea's Coup Leader Revives Ghost of Feared Dictator Before Election

As Guinea prepares for a presidential election on December 28, the military leader expected to win is invoking a controversial figure from the nation's past. General Mamadi Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup, is increasingly referencing Sékou Touré. Touré led Guinea to independence from France but later ruled as a dictator for decades. His rule is remembered for political repression, violence, and a vast network of prisons. Many citizens suffered under his regime. By linking himself to Touré, Doumbouya risks reopening old wounds. For a large part of the population, it brings back memories of a dark and painful era. The election result is seen as almost certain. This has shifted public attention to the General's symbolic gestures and their meaning for Guinea's future.