Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau appeared on state television declaring they had seized control of the country, citing an alleged plot to manipulate election results.

The military high command announced it had assumed full state powers and suspended all institutions, media, and the electoral process. This followed a disputed presidential election in which both leading candidates claimed victory. Gunfire was reported near key sites in the capital, Bissau, and heavily armed soldiers established checkpoints.

Outgoing President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, whose legitimacy was already contested, said he was arrested in what he called a coup. The election commission chief was also reportedly detained, and its offices sealed. Embaló’s term began in 2020, but critics argue it expired.

This military takeover marks yet another in a long history of coups in Guinea-Bissau since its independence in 1974, but perhaps it is another West African country inspired by Burkina Faso’s successful experiment, trying to find its self-esteem and peace

janus