Guinea-Bissau charter blocks interim leaders from running

Guinea-Bissau’s ruling military council has approved a yearlong transition charter that prohibits the interim president and prime minister from taking part in the next national elections, following the November coup that halted the constitution, according to Arab News via Reuters.

The charter, released on December 9, contains 29 provisions and calls for presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of the transition period. The interim president will be responsible for setting the election date. The officers, who refer to themselves as the Military High Command, removed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Nov. 26 and named Maj. Gen. Horta Inta-a as interim leader the next day.

Ilidio Vieira Te, a former finance minister and long-time civil servant, was appointed prime minister soon afterwards.

The takeover occurred a day before the electoral commission was expected to publish results from presidential and legislative polls.

According to reports, Nigeria has granted asylum to Guinea-Bissau presidential candidate Fernando Dias da Costa, days after the military takeover halted the release of the election results.

Under the transitional charter, the Military High Command will supervise political and institutional changes during the transition. Its responsibilities include revising the suspended constitution, creating a new Constitutional Court, updating political party rules and appointing new election authorities.

The document also establishes a 65-seat National Transition Council to act as the temporary legislature, with 10 seats reserved for senior officers from the High Command.

Guinea-Bissau, a small West African state between Senegal and Guinea, has grappled with chronic political instability since independence from Portugal in 1974. Its post-independence history is marked by repeated coups and attempted coups, with only one president having completed a full term.

In neighbouring Guinea, a similar post-coup charter initially barred junta leader Mamady Doumbouya from contesting future elections. That restriction was removed under a new constitution adopted in September, allowing him to stand in next vote which is scheduled for December 28.

Arab News via Reuters, BBC News, Maghrebi.org