The Guinea-Bissau army announced on Friday, October 31, that it had successfully foiled an attempt to subvert the constitutional order, arresting several senior military officers accused of plotting to disrupt the upcoming general elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Bissau, General Mamadu Ture, the Deputy Chief of Staff, said, “This action aimed to disrupt the electoral process,” though he declined to specify the number of officers arrested or the precise nature of their plans.
The arrests came just a day before campaigning was set to begin for the legislative and presidential elections, scheduled to take place in about three weeks. The polls are expected to be dominated by President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, following the disqualification of the main opposition party.
President Embalo, speaking after a cabinet meeting on Thursday, warned against any form of unrest, declaring, “No disorder will be tolerated. The government has taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of each candidate during this campaign.”
Among those detained, according to General Ture, was Brigadier General Daba Nawalna, the director of a military training centre located about 30 kilometres from the capital, Bissau. Ture alleged that Nawalna was one of the masterminds behind the plot.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced a long history of military coups and political instability since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. However, since the 2014 presidential election, the small West African nation has made efforts to strengthen democratic governance and uphold the rule of law.
