Guinea: President Alpha Condé declared winner in presidential election October 24 /update 6

Event

The Independent National Electoral Commission (Céni) declared President Alpha Condé the winner of the Guinean presidential election on Saturday, October 24, with an absolute majority in the first round. The provisional results show Condé winning 59.49 percent of the vote. The election has been surrounded by controversy, with concerns over the fairness of the election and Condé standing for a third consecutive term. Protests over Condé's expected victory have taken place in Conakry, with security forces responding harshly. Clashes between security forces and protesters have resulted in at least 17 people being killed between Sunday, October 18, and Friday, October 23.

Protests over the Céni announcement cannot be ruled out. Further electoral-related unrest is expected across Guinea in the coming days.

Context

President Alpha Conde, in power since 2010, pushed through a change in the constitution following a referendum in March that effectively reset the two-term limit in the constitution and allowed him to run as his party candidate in the presidential election. Widespread unrest has been witnessed across the country since the controversial move by Conde, with opposition groups claiming that at least 90 people have been killed in recent months.

Advice

Those in Guinea are advised to monitor the situation, remain vigilant due to the threat of electoral-related violence, avoid the vicinity of political gatherings and electoral commission offices, avoid discussing politically sensitive topics in public or on social media, and heed all directives issued by local authorities.