ECOWAS, AU condemn military takeover in Guinea-Bissau

The election observation missions to Guinea-Bissau set up by the African Union and Economic Community of West African States, and the West African Elders Forum, have condemned the halt of the announcement of presidential and legislative elections and subsequent military takeover in the West African country.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the election missions deplored what they described as “a blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process” in Guinea-Bissau.

The statement was signed by Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission, Filipe Nyusi; Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, Issifu Kamara; and Head of the West African Elders Forum, Goodluck Jonathan.

The missions called on the AU and ECOWAS to take necessary steps to restore constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.

The statement read, “We express deep concern with the announcement of coup d’etat by the armed forces, while the nation was waiting for the announcement of the results.

“It is regrettable that this announcement came at a time when the missions had just concluded meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people.

“We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that we have achieved thus far. We request the African Union and the ECOWAS to take the necessary steps to restore constitutional order.”

The people of Guinea-Bissau had gone to the polls on Saturday with both current president, Umaro Embalo and opposition candidate, Fernando Dias, who are frontrunners in the election, declaring victory.

However, while the people of the country awaited the final declaration of results, on Thursday, military officers announced on Wednesday that they were taking “total control of the country, suspending its electoral process and closing its borders.”

Their announcement followed heavy gunfire that rang out near the presidential palace earlier in the day, with men in military uniform taking over the main road leading to the building.

In the early afternoon, General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, told members of the press that a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces, was taking over the leadership of the country until further notice”.

He read the announcement seated at a table and surrounded by armed soldiers.

N’Canha, in his declaration, claimed to have uncovered a plan to destabilise the country “involving national drug lords” that had included “the introduction of weapons into the country to alter the constitutional order”.

In addition to halting “the entire electoral process”, he said military forces had suspended “all media programming” and imposed a mandatory curfew.

In its statement following the military takeover, the AU and ECOWAS missions bemoaned that the military announcement came not long after meeting the two leading presidential candidates and extracting their assurances to abide by the will of the people.

They further demanded that the Armed Forces immediately release the detained officials of the electoral commission for them to conclude the electoral process.

The statement read, “We express concern about the arrests of top officials, including those who are in charge of the electoral process. In this regard, we urge the armed forces to immediately release the detained officials to allow the country’s electoral process to proceed to its conclusion.

“We call on the people of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm, and we affirm our commitment to supporting the country on its democratic path, and in this respect, we underscore the importance of preserving peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau Guinean people during this sensitive period.”

The West African country has experienced four coups since independence, as well as multiple attempted coups.