Guinea-Bissau’s ousted president Embalo to run in December elections after coup
Umaro Sissoco Embalo, ousted in a November coup in Guinea-Bissau, announced he will return from exile and run in the December 6 presidential election. The military junta that seized power after the coup set the election date to restore civilian rule but tensions remain high. Embalo's return is legally permitted, though the political climate is fragile in the coup-prone nation.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1) · date de l'événement : 2026-09-28
Exiled former Guinea-Bissau president Umaro Sissoco Embalo, ousted in a November 26 coup, has announced he will return to the country and run in the presidential election scheduled for December 6, according to an interview with AFP on Monday.
The military junta, led by General Horta N’Tam who took power days after the coup, set the election date to restore civilian rule. Embalo did not specify his exact return date but confirmed his candidacy.
The coup occurred just before provisional election results were due, with suspicions that Embalo may have orchestrated it to halt an election process he appeared to be losing. Despite this, political analysts note that legally nothing bars Embalo from returning or running, as he did not renounce power.
General N’Tam, also transitional president, is barred from running under the transitional charter. The junta justified the coup by citing a plot involving drug lords to destabilize the country.
Guinea-Bissau remains politically unstable and poor, with a history of coups and drug trafficking. The recent constitutional referendum approved in August grants the president more powers, aiming to stabilize institutions before elections.
The opposition has called for a boycott of the election amid ongoing tensions in this West African nation.