What You Need to Know
In Guinea-Bissau, President Umaro Sissoko Embaló and his main rival, Fernando Dias, have both claimed victory in the recent presidential elections held on Sunday, prior to the official results from the National Electoral Commission. This has raised concerns about escalating tensions in a country with a history of coups.
Africa. President Umaro Sissoko Embaló and his main rival, Fernando Dias, have both declared victory in the presidential elections held on Sunday, prior to the official results from the National Electoral Commission. This has raised concerns about escalating tensions in a country that has experienced a series of coups over the past decades.
Both campaigns assert that their candidate has surpassed the 50% threshold necessary for a direct win, eliminating the need for a second round.
Dias, 47, the candidate from the Social Renewal Party, stated at his campaign headquarters in the capital, Bissau, “We have won the presidential race. There will be no second round. The people are tired and want change at the top of the state.”
Hours later, Oscar Barbosa, spokesperson for Embaló’s campaign, confirmed that the president, 53, a former general and prime minister from 2016 to 2018, also won directly, urging competitors to “refrain from announcing results that could undermine the electoral process.”
The elections, which featured 12 candidates, saw a turnout exceeding 65%. The Electoral Commission is expected to announce preliminary results on Thursday, but has not yet commented on the conflicting claims.
Notably, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, which led the struggle against Portuguese colonialism, was barred from presenting a candidate for the first time but supported Dias, bolstering his campaign, especially after he received backing from former Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira, leader of the party that finished second in the controversial 2019 elections.
Embaló aims to become the first president of Guinea-Bissau to win a second term in three decades, while analysts believe the competition between him and Dias will be fierce.
The opposition had claimed that Embaló’s term ended earlier this year, but the Supreme Court ruled to extend it until September, before the elections were postponed to this November.
Guinea-Bissau, where half of the population lives in poverty according to the World Bank, remains susceptible to unrest and coups since its independence over 50 years ago.
Over 200 international observers attended the electoral process, including representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced significant political instability since gaining independence from Portugal over 50 years ago. The country has witnessed multiple coups and political upheavals, contributing to a fragile democratic process. The recent elections are crucial as they could determine the future political landscape, especially with the opposition’s claims regarding the end of Embaló’s term earlier this year, which were contested by the Supreme Court.
The political environment remains tense, with the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, historically significant in the nation’s politics, barred from presenting a candidate this time.
