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Polls Open in Guinea For Landmark Presidential Election

   VOA News 27 June 2010

   Voters in Guinea are heading to the polls to elect a new president, as
   the  West  African  nation  is  holding its first free elections since
   independence more than half a century ago.
   Sunday's  vote  is  meant  to restore civilian rule in Guinea after 18
   months  of  a military-led government.  Officials hope it will be the
   country's  first free and fair election since independence from France
   in 1958.
   Twenty-four  candidates are seeking the presidency, but only a few are
   expected to be strong contenders. Â
   The  three  front-runners  in  Sunday's vote include opposition leader
   Alpha  Conde and former prime ministers Cellou Dalein Diallo and Sidya
   Toure.
   Observers  say the campaign has been relatively positive and peaceful,
   but  violence  broke  out  Thursday  in  Coyah,  a village east of the
   capital,   Conakry.   Fighting  between  supporters  of  two  Guinean
   political  parties,  the  Union  of Republican Forces and the Union of
   Democratic Forces, injured at least 20 people.
   United   Nations   Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon  has  urged  Guinea
   authorities to ensure "credible and peaceful elections."
   The West African country has been run by two presidents who ruled with
   an  iron  fist  and suppressed human rights.  A military junta seized
   power  in 2008, after the death of President Lansana Conte.  Original
   junta  leader Moussa Dadis Camara went into exile after being shot and
   wounded by an aide late last year.
   His  successor,  Sekouba  Konate,  set  up  the  current  transitional
   government.   General  Konate  and  other  interim  leaders  are  not
   eligible to run in the election.
   A  candidate needs to win a majority of the vote Sunday to be declared
   president.  Guinea's electoral commission has proposed July 18 as the
   date for a run-off vote if one is needed.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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