Guinea-Bissau election in doubt after CNE warning

Guinea-Bissau's National Electoral Commission said Thursday that the conditions needed to organise presidential and legislative elections by December 6 will not be met, deepening doubt over a vote meant to restore civilian rule after a coup last November.

Felisberta Moura Vaz, the commission's vice president, told reporters that the CNE had informed junta leader General Horta N'Tam of its position after he summoned the body for a meeting. Asked about a possible delay, Vaz said she would not say the elections would be postponed, adding that the matter was for N'Tam as transitional president.

Prime Minister Ilidio Vieira Te also said after meeting N'Tam that “the conditions for holding credible elections do not exist”. He said no political party was yet in an ideal position to contest the elections and said party grassroots organisations needed renewal.

The army seized power in Guinea-Bissau last November, days after a presidential vote, overthrowing president Umaro Sissoco Embalo and suspending the electoral process. The junta under N'Tam, a close associate of Embalo, had set December 6 for presidential and legislative elections.

Embalo had told AFP he would return from exile in Morocco and stand in the elections, but the junta last week said security conditions were not met for his return. Several members of the presidential guard, a unit seen as loyal to Embalo, were later disarmed and placed under supervision at military headquarters. Speaking in Bissau on Wednesday, N'Tam called on guard members still holding weapons to hand them over as soon as possible.

In August, Guinea-Bissau's leaders held a referendum in which voters approved a constitutional change giving the president more powers. The junta said the change would stabilise institutions before the elections, while the opposition urged a boycott.

Guinea-Bissau has experienced five coups and numerous attempted putsches since independence from Portugal in 1974.