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Cellou Dalein Diallo, who took 43 percent of the vote in the first round, is the favourite to become the mineral-rich country’s first democratic president since independence from France in 1958.

His opponent, veteran opposition figure Alpha Conde, is hoping to improve vastly on his first round tally of 18 percent.
Under pressure from the international community the two candidates — who come from two ethnic majorities, the Fulani and the Mandinke — made a joint call for calm on Friday after violent clashes between their supporters. In Conakry voters streamed into voting stations from sunrise, waiting patiently in line to exercise their democratic right.

“Everybody is in a hurry to finish with the old system, money being stolen to benefit a few, the waste,” said retired doctor Saidou Cisse, 67, at a voting station at a seaside school.

“Before, whoever was in power, the treasury was for him and his family. The result: Guinea is rich with its bauxite, its iron, but we live in misery.”

Helene Boire, a 55-year-old teacher, is as relieved to see the back of military rule, after the 24-year reign of military leader Lansane Conte was followed by a December 2008 coup upon his death.

“Finally, we will have a leader elected by the people, to serve the people,” she said. “It’s a celebration, but people remain tense until the results have been accepted.”

Interim president General Sekouba Konate, who was in January tasked with leading the nation to its first free election, voted in the suburb where he grew up.

“I am a very proud, and very happy man,” he declared, adding he had kept his word as a soldier to return power to civilians.

A first round vote on June 27 was followed by hostility between supporters of the two final candidates, who accused each other of planning to rig the vote.