Africa-Press. The ruling Military Council in Guinea-Bissau has announced that the country will hold presidential and legislative elections on December 6, two months after the coup that ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and suspended the ongoing electoral process.
In a decree read to the press by the head of the Military Council, General Horta N’tam, it was confirmed that “all conditions for free, fair, and transparent elections have been met.” This announcement follows the release of a transitional charter in early December, which bars N’tam himself from running in the upcoming elections.
The army overthrew President Embaló a few days after the first round of the presidential election in November, as he sought a second term. The Military Council justified its action, stating it aimed “to prevent bloodshed between supporters of rival candidates.”
Regional Pressure and Calls for Release of Detainees
The announcement of the election date follows a visit by a high-level delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including the President of Sierra Leone and ECOWAS Chair, Julius Maada Bio, and the Senegalese President, Macky Sall. The delegation emphasized the need for a short and transparent transition and called for the release of political prisoners.
Despite the election date being set, observers question the Military Council’s ability to ensure a safe and competitive political environment, given ongoing arrests and the lack of trust among political actors. Local citizens and regional bodies are closely watching the new authority’s commitment to its promises in a country with a long history of coups and political instability.
