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Guinea’s military leader-turned-president, Mamady Doumbouya, returned to the country on Friday after a three-week absence that had sparked speculation about his health.
According to AFP, the 41-year-old leader arrived at Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport in the capital, Conakry, where he was welcomed by government officials, supporters and a brass band.
Doumbouya left Guinea on February 13 to attend an African Union summit in Addis Ababa and has not been seen publicly since, raising questions about his well-being.
Government authorities earlier said the president was in good health, explaining that he had taken a few days to rest during the summit and also underwent a routine medical check-up. Officials, however, did not disclose where he had stayed during the period.
On arrival, Doumbouya, dressed in a brown tunic, waved to supporters from an armoured vehicle as several hundred people gathered at the airport, many wearing caps and T-shirts bearing his image.
The president’s recent absence has fuelled rumours about his health, particularly as his public appearances in recent months have been infrequent and he has appeared noticeably slimmer during those outings.
Doumbouya seized power in 2021 after overthrowing former president Alpha Condé, Guinea’s first democratically elected leader, in a military coup. He was later elected president for a seven-year term in December after a vote in which leading opposition figures were barred from participating.
During the campaign period, Doumbouya largely stayed away from public events, appearing only briefly at the closing rally without delivering a speech and later to cast his vote.
He was sworn in as president in January before a large crowd at a stadium and reappeared the following month when he addressed leaders at the African Union summit.
Since taking power, Doumbouya’s administration has faced criticism from rights groups and opposition figures over restrictions on civil liberties, including the banning of protests and the arrest or exile of political opponents.
Guinea has experienced a long history of military and authoritarian rule since gaining independence in 1958.
