Alpha Condé

Condé stood again in the June–November 2010 presidential election. During the first round, he received 18 percent of the votes, while Cellou Dalein Diallo placed first with over 40 percent. On 15 November 2010 Condé was declared the winner of the second round with 52.5 percent.[15] Observers of the election noted that his win was surprising given his poor results in previous elections and in the first round of this election.[16] Condé has constantly failed to pass the 18% mark in a presidential election. A report prepared by the Carter Center noted several irregularities in voter registration, vote counting and the loss of nearly 1 million voters from the final count. The Carter Center criticized the decision by the Supreme Court of Guinea to proceed to a second round of voting. Despite the irregularities, the election corruption, and the violence orchestrated by his political party to prevent his rival's support to vote, Alpha Condé was sworn in on 21 December 2010.

In 2011, Palladino Capital 2, an investment company run by South African billionaire Walter Hennig, lent Guinea $25 million allegedly in order to fund the establishment of a state mine. But it soon became evident that the money was not used as intended and the terms were detrimental to Guinea. Furthermore, according to former Guinean Minister of Mines Mahmoud Thiam, the deal included a commitment to support Condé's political campaign.[17] In 2012, after extensive public criticism the loan was returned and the deal was cancelled.[18]

After he was elected, Condé seemingly attempted to improve the mining law in Guinea, in order to reduce corruption in the sector and increase the country's benefit.[3] However, as revealed in 2016[19] Samuel Mebiame, who had been involved in bribing high-level government officials in return for mining rights in the country, was also involved in rewriting the mining law in a manner that benefited the companies with which he was working.[20]

According to various documents that were leaked to the international NGO Global Witness, mining company Sable Mining was involved in helping Condé win the 2010 election in return for mining rights in the country. Global Witness reported that Sable Supported Condé's election campaign, organized logistics and strategic meetings, offered to loan him a helicopter, and paid bribe money to his son, Alpha Mohammed Condé,[21] in order to secure mining permits in a number of areas, including Mount Nimba. In an email sent from Alpha Mohammed Condé to Sable in August 2010, he said that backing his father's campaign "will make my dad all the more comfortable to support our business partnerships".[22]

On 19 July 2011, the presidential residence was shelled, resulting in the death of a presidential guard and the injuries of two others; Condé, however, survived the allegedly assassination attempt.[23] A former army chief and a member of the presidential guard were arrested hours after the two attacks on his house. The President later spoke to the country saying that "My house was attacked last night, but I congratulate the presidential guard who fought heroically from 3:10 until 5:00 before backup arrived." He also added that his plans for reform would not fail.[24]

Three days later at least 41 soldiers were arrested for the assassination attempt. A government official said that many of those arrested had ties to the country's previous military rulers.

The United Nations reacted by saying that there was a greater need for military reforms in Guinea. The UN Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit, said that the assault showed "weaknesses remain in Guinea's defence and security systems [and] reinforces the UN's determination to support the country's military reforms. I saw the damage...[the attack] clearly intended to kill the president."[23]

Condé received criticism during week-long protests and violence in late February and early March 2013, after opposition supporters took to the streets of Conakry to peacefully protest against his attempts to rig the 2013 parliamentary election. The opposition coalition withdrew from the electoral process in mid-February, mainly due to Condé's insistence on using a South African firm, Waymark Infotech , to draw up the registered voter list to his political party's benefit.

Condé with U.S. President Barack Obama, 2014

Condé with Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2017

The ensuing violence resulted in at least twenty deaths and hundreds injured, all from the brutality of Condé's security forces who used live ammunition to disperse the peaceful protesters.[25][26] Condé has an army specially trained to violently repress peaceful protesters with impunity. This army is made up of former rebels with whom he attempted to destabilize Guinea causing the death of several innocent children and women.

Voting finally took place on 28 September but local and international observers noted the process was significantly flawed, they observed ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and minors casting votes. These organizational problems and irregularities led to a three-week delay in the announcement of the election results, which in turn led to further tension. At this point regional UN and EU representatives intervened[27] and strongly recommended that the situation be addressed peacefully via the legal system.[28]

On 17 October 2020, Condé was selected for a second term and given 57.85 percent of the vote, an outright majority in the first round of voting.[2] The election was marred by fraud and mismanagement.[29] Cellou Dalein Diallo, who received the majority the vote, rejected the results because the vote had been rigged by Condé's government. Condé's government resorted again in intimidating voters, ballot stuffing, permitting minors to vote, altering the electoral map, and violence against the opposition supporters. However, the opposition did not file an official appeal.[30] Condé was sworn in for his second term on 14 December 2015.[31]

In 2016, French news organization FRANCE 24 released audio recordings that appear to prove that the mining company Rio Tinto paid Guinean government official and close acquaintance of the president François de Combret a sum of $10.5 million for mining rights in the Simandou mine. President Condé says that de Combret acted alone. Audio recordings do not implicate the president as there is no indication in it that he was not simply demanding down payment on the $700 million contract on behalf of the government with no payoff involved. Rio Tinto admitted to the payment in November 2016.[32]

•  Guinea:
  • Grand Cross with Collar of the National Order of Merit

•  Namibia:
  • Grand Commander of the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia mirabilis (09 May 2019)[33]
•  Russia:
  • Recipient of the Order of Friendship (28 September 2017)