African Leaders Demand Immediate Release of Guinea-Bissau Election Results

A coalition of 20 prominent African leaders, including former heads of state, academics, and civil society activists, has called for the immediate release of the election results from Guinea-Bissau’s presidential and legislative elections held on November 23, 2023. In a strongly worded statement, they warned that the country’s fragile democracy is under threat due to military interference in the electoral process.

The group, which includes notable figures such as former Cabo Verdean President Pedro Pires and renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana, emphasized the need for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take decisive action. They demanded that ECOWAS “demand the truth, protect the winner, and request the freeing of political actors being detained by the military junta.” Their intervention follows alarming reports from the National Electoral Commission (CNE), which indicated that it has been unable to compile results due to pressure from security forces.

According to the CNE, the military had stormed its headquarters, confiscating electoral documents and essential data necessary for announcing the final tally from the country’s eight regions. The coalition described this intrusion as “a desperate attempt to destroy the archives” and disrupt the electoral process.

The military’s actions have been condemned as a “staged coup” orchestrated by officers aligned with outgoing President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The group criticized the military’s arrest of Embaló, referring to it as “comic,” highlighting his eagerness to announce his deposition before fleeing the country. Reports indicate that Embaló was initially evacuated to Dakar by Senegalese President Diomaye Faye but left after facing criticism from Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who labeled the situation a “sham coup.”

Latest updates suggest that Embaló has since relocated to Morocco after a brief stay in Congo-Brazzaville, where he is reportedly preparing to reclaim power with support from loyal military elements.

The coalition has urged ECOWAS leaders, who are scheduled to meet on December 14, 2023, to undertake “a bold move” to address the crisis and restore constitutional rule in a region already known for political instability. They welcomed ECOWAS’s decision to dispatch a fact-finding mission led by its current chair, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone.

Beyond ECOWAS, the statement called for urgent action from the African Union, the United Nations, and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP). The leaders highlighted that the instability in Guinea-Bissau poses a threat to a region already grappling with severe political and security challenges.

The group asserted that it is not too late to salvage the country’s democratic aspirations, stating that existing copies of the election tallies could still be published “with coordinated international pressure.” “As active members of civil society from across Africa, we cannot keep quiet in the face of such blatant violations,” they emphasized. They warned that allowing military interference would convey a dangerous message that power in West Africa belongs solely to the strongest.

In their statement, the leaders encouraged both Africans and the international community to reject the “undemocratic manoeuvres” in Guinea-Bissau and support the nation in concluding its electoral process while building lasting democratic institutions. The joint statement was endorsed by respected figures across the continent, including Dr Abass Bundu, former Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, and various other academics, media professionals, and civil society representatives.