Guinea’s military leader and president Mamady Doumbouya returned to the capital Conakry on Friday after a three-week absence that had sparked widespread speculation about his health and whereabouts. Doumbouya, 41, arrived at Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport to a ceremonial reception featuring government officials, a brass band and supporters wearing caps and T-shirts bearing his image. The president, dressed in a brown tunic, waved to several hundred supporters from an armored vehicle as he left the airport, according to journalists present at the scene.
The Guinean leader had last been seen publicly on February 13 when he traveled to Addis Ababa to attend a summit of the African Union. His prolonged absence afterward fueled rumors about his health, particularly after recent appearances in which he appeared noticeably thinner. Government officials sought to calm speculation earlier in the week, stating that Doumbouya was in “good health” and had taken a few days of rest while also undergoing a routine medical check-up. Authorities did not disclose where he had stayed during the break.
Doumbouya first seized power in September 2021 after overthrowing former president Alpha Condé in a military coup, ending Condé’s decade-long rule. Since then, he has consolidated power while promising a transition back to civilian rule. In December 2025, Doumbouya was declared president for a seven-year term following a controversial vote in which most major opposition figures were barred from running. Critics and rights groups say the government has tightened restrictions on political freedoms, banning protests and arresting or exiling several opposition leaders. Guinea, rich in natural resources such as bauxite and iron ore, has struggled with decades of political instability since gaining independence from France in 1958. Doumbouya’s government says it is focused on economic reforms and infrastructure development, though opponents accuse the administration of deepening authoritarian rule.
