Polling Day in Guinea

So, folks in Guinea were up and early last Sunday, hitting the polling stations to cast their votes on this new draft constitution. It's a pretty big deal because this thing could not only shake up the upcoming elections but also let the military bigwig who took over four years back, General Mamady Doumbouya, try his hand at being president. All this went down despite the opposition hollering for a boycott.

Anticipation Surrounding the Vote

Everyone's been on pins and needles about this vote, both inside Guinea and out in the wider world. It's supposed to open the gates to some long-stalled political showdowns in this corner of West Africa.

Doumbouya's Rise

Here’s the scoop—Doumbouya’s been the top dog since he kicked out Alpha Conde, the elected leader, back in 2021. Out of Guinea’s roughly 14.5 million peeps, about 6.7 million were eligible to drop a vote.

Tense Atmosphere in Conakry

The vibe in Conakry, the capital, was tense. They rolled out armored cars and set up checkpoints everywhere, trying to keep things on the level as people started voting.

Voting Experience

At a local school in the Kaloum part of town, the morning found folks lining up with the security forces keeping an eye on things. A young dude named Ahmad Diallo, who’s just 23 and a student, was like, “I’m here 'cause I wanna be; it’s time for some peace and to wrap this transitional phase up.” Another first-time voter, 20-year-old Aisha Camara, thought the new constitution was a step in the right direction for Guinea. She was there to throw her support behind the president.

Polls and Security

They planned to shut the polls at 6 PM, but don’t hold your breath for the results—they said we might get the breakdown by Tuesday night. Meanwhile, to make sure everything stayed cool and copacetic, they had about 45,000 security folks out and about, with their wheels and choppers ready.

Future of Guinea's Politics

While the military said they'd hand over power to the civilians by late 2024, they’re now talking about rolling out presidential and legislative elections before this year wraps up. Still, no exact dates yet. The folks backing the 'yes' vote for the referendum were pretty gung-ho, holding rallies and all—but the 'no' camp? Barely a peep, mostly just some buzz on social media from critics who’ve had to skedaddle abroad 'cause of the local crackdowns.

Opposition's Response

Starting from last year, any and all demonstrations got the kibosh. They even threw some opposition leaders in jail, or worse, they vanished. And just this August, they put a temporary kibosh on a couple of the big opposition parties.

Media Restrictions

A bunch of media outfits also got the freeze, and some journalists ended up behind bars. So yeah, the atmosphere’s been a tad fraught.

Conclusion

Given all these shenanigans, the opposition was like, “Just stay home, folks. This vote’s a farce—just a way for the junta to cling to power.” And if this constitution goes through, there’s nothing stopping Doumbouya from running for president. Plus, the thing’s set up so that candidates gotta be between 40 and 80 years old and live in Guinea—which just so happens to cut out a couple of the main opposition figures. And while all this is happening, Guinea’s still in the timeout corner with the African Union, and the regional big shots, the ECOWAS, haven’t even invited them to the grown-ups' table lately. The UN’s even had to chime in, pressing for a fair and calm vote. So there you have it—a snapshot of Guinea in an election season that’s anything but typical. Whether it's going to smooth things over or just stir up more trouble, well, that remains to be seen.