Mamadi Doumbouya, the leader of Guinea’s military junta, has promoted himself to the rank of army general as the country celebrated the establishment of its powerful armed forces.
Doumbouya, 43, initially seized control in September 2021 by ousting President Alpha Conde, who had appointed him to lead an elite unit responsible for the protection of the president.
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In January, Doumbouya had already elevated himself to lieutenant general while signaling that the junta would not fulfill its promise to return power to elected civilians by the end of the year.
In a decree issued on Friday, he was also awarded the Grand Cross of the National Order of the Colatier, Guinea’s highest honor, for his “constant efforts to promote social cohesion and cooperation between peoples.”
Supporters of Doumbouya have encouraged him to run for president once the junta eventually relinquishes power.
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His rise comes amid a trend of military takeovers in West Africa, with similar actions seen in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2020.
Under Doumbouya’s leadership, there has been a crackdown on dissent, leading to the detention, court appearances, or exile of many opposition figures.
