Head of Guinea-Bissau’s military transition government, Gen. Horta Inta-A Na Man
Guinea-Bissau’s military junta has adopted a 12-month transitional charter that bars its interim leaders from contesting future elections, as the country grapples with the aftermath of last month’s coup.
The document, unveiled on 10 December, aims to guide the country towards fresh polls while empowering the armed forces to oversee key reforms.
The charter, comprising 29 articles, stipulates that presidential and legislative elections must be held by the end of the one-year period. It explicitly prohibits interim President Major-General Horta Inta-A Na Man and Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira Té from standing as candidates.
The Military High Command, which led the takeover, will direct institutional changes, including revisions to the suspended constitution, the creation of a new Constitutional Court, and updates to electoral laws. A 65-member National Transition Council, incorporating 10 senior army officers, will serve as the legislative body during this period.
The move follows the 26 November coup, when soldiers under Brigadier General Dinis Incanha arrested President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and several officials amidst disputes over general election results.
Gunfire erupted near the presidential palace in Bissau, with the military citing an alleged plot to manipulate the vote involving politicians and a drug lord. Embaló, who had claimed victory in the 23 November polls alongside opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa, was released and fled to Senegal.
Opposition figures, including Dias, who escaped arrest and sought refuge in the Nigerian Embassy, have denounced the takeover. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), barred from the presidential race, called for protests, leading to clashes in Bissau suburbs.
Some critics, such as Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, have expressed deep concern over the coup as an election observer. International condemnation has been swift. The African Union (AU) “unequivocally” denounced the action, suspending Guinea-Bissau’s membership and demanding the immediate freeing of arrested officials.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also imposed a suspension, calling on the junta to “respect the will of the people” and allow the electoral process to conclude. Both bodies have dispatched envoys to negotiate a return to civilian rule.
Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony of about two million people, has endured chronic instability since independence in 1974, with only one elected leader ever completing a full term in office. This latest upheaval echoes patterns in the region, such as Guinea’s 2021 coup where the junta leader later amended rules to run for office.
Analysts warn that prolonged military involvement could exacerbate social and political challenges already confronting the country, such as poverty and drug trafficking issues in the cocaine transit hub. Observers stress the need for inclusive dialogue to prevent further violence. The junta has pledged reforms, but scepticism remains high as calls for transparency grow.
