Saturday, November 1, 2025 - 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.
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