By: Javone Vickerie
Georgetown, Guyana – September 4, 2025 – The 2025 recount has been thrown into controversy after Haddiyyah Mohamed, sister of WIN Party presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed, posted a video alleging that several ballot boxes arriving for scrutiny had been tampered with and were missing party seals. Her claims spread rapidly on Facebook, feeding public suspicion and drawing fresh cries of foul play from opposition supporters.
In the video, Mohamed pointed to boxes she said bore clear signs of interference, insisting the integrity of the vote was already compromised before the recount even began. Party agents inside the tabulation center backed parts of her account, reporting that some boxes appeared with seals broken or absent, while other disputes erupted over ballots that had been counted as valid despite markings falling partly outside the designated box. Those arguments grew heated enough to temporarily stall the recount.
But election officials and law enforcement authorities have dismissed Mohamed’s allegations as dangerous misinformation. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) condemned the filming inside its compound as a violation of strict rules, calling it “a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of the electoral process.” The Commission insisted that all ballot boxes remain under heavy scrutiny, with party representatives and accredited observers monitoring each step. “Unauthorized filming of sensitive electoral materials not only breaches protocol but creates an avenue for misinformation that erodes public trust,” GECOM said.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) also weighed in, strongly rejecting the notion of tampering. In a statement, the GPF reminded the public that ballot security has been tight from container to tabulation center. “The recount is being conducted under full accordance with the laws of Guyana,” the Force said. “We strongly condemn misinformation and irresponsible commentary which seeks to inflame public sentiment or disrupt the integrity of the process.” Police warned that any attempt to incite unrest would be met with “swift and appropriate action.”
The clash of narratives captures the tension gripping Guyana’s electoral process. For opposition parties and their supporters, missing seals and questionable ballots are proof that something is deeply wrong. For state institutions, such claims are reckless and risk undermining an exercise they insist is transparent and credible.
As the recount continues, every ballot and every seal is now under a national microscope, with the competing stories of tampering and denial threatening to overshadow the results themselves.
