Guinea's electoral commission has set December 29 as the day for long-awaited legislative polls.

Commission chief Louceny Camara announced the date at a news conference in Conakry Thursday.

These will be the first parliamentary polls in Guinea since 2002, when the country was still controlled by longtime President Lansana Conte.

The West African country is trying to move past a long history of authoritarian rule. President Alpha Conde was elected president last year in Guinea's first-ever free and fair national election.

But unrest remains a threat, as evidenced by an assassination attempt on Mr. Conde at his home in July.

Earlier this week, the head of Guinea's main opposition party told Reuters news agency that the party will oppose the holding of the elections.

The UFDG party has complained about the government's plan to revamp voter lists ahead of the polls. It says the lists should be revised by an independent electoral body, not the Conde government.