Guinea elections go ahead

Activists from the main opposition party, the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), gathered at an electoral rally Thursday night featuring presidential candidate – and former prime minister – Cellou Dalein Diallo in the capital of Conakry. In 2008, after the longtime strongman died, a military coup led to tumultuous rule until the junta’s leader agreed to go into exile.

The country has erupted into violence before, with every vote in recent years leading to conflict between the two largest ethnic groups.

“We will vote, defend our suffrage, defend our victory because there is no way we will let our victory be stolen”, Diallo said.

Conde’s first win during the 2010 presidential vote was widely considered to be the country’s first free and fair election, although the opposition claimed the vote was riddled with fraud. Conde defeated Diallo in a 2010 election marked by clashes between their supporters along ethnic lines.

Supporters from each side threw rocks at one another, clashes that left at least seven people dead.

At some polling stations, voting began only a few minutes behind schedule but in others there were complaints that paperwork and officials had not arrived by late morning.

In Sierra Leone, voting by almost 16,000 Guineans was canceled Sunday because election materials did not get to the Guinean embassy in time to be distributed, said the head of the Guinean elections team, Razeh Sao Kpoghomou.

Seven candidates facing the president had previously called for the vote to be delayed for at least a week, citing doubts over the reliability of electoral lists and problems with the distribution of voter cards.

But national electoral group spokesman Salifou Kebe said there is “no evidence that warrants a postponement”.

In the Madina neighbourhood, where hundreds of shops were destroyed by a fire started during clashes between political opponents last week, businessman Mamadou Seraya was busily removing sacks of rice from his store. “I just placed my vote and my candidate will win and we will celebrate, and the world will be witness”, he said. Many political analysts believe that the vote will be close enough to require the second round of voting, adding even more uncertainty into what is already a volatile process.