Conde Wins Guinea Presidential Runoff
VOA News
15 November 2010
Opposition leader Alpha Conde has been declared the winner of Guinea's presidential runoff election.
Election commission chief Siaka Toumany Sangare says Mr. Conde won 52 percent of the vote.
The country's constitutional court must certify the results before they become official.
There has been no reaction so far from his Mr. Conde's rival, former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo.
Both candidates had earlier claimed victory.
Earlier Monday, security forces in the capital, Conakry, clashed with pro-Diallo protesters. Witnesses say police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of youths who were throwing rocks and burning tires.
Election observers, as well as Guinea's military leaders, have repeatedly called for all parties to accept the election results.
But, on Sunday Mr. Diallo said he would reject the results if they included two districts where his party says pre-election violence helped hold down his vote totals.
The violence in the cities of Siguiri and Kouroussa drove thousands of people from Mr. Diallo's ethnic group, known as the Peul or Fulani, from their homes. Mr. Diallo's party also alleges large-scale fraud in the November 7 poll.
International observers have said the voting appeared to be free and fair.
The election is meant to return Guinea to civilian rule after decades of dictatorship and a two-year military junta.
Mr. Diallo, a former Guinean prime minister, won the first-round election in June, beating 23 other candidates with 44 percent of the vote. Mr. Conde was second in that poll with 18 percent.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
