Guinea-Bissau President says won’t seek a second term

The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Cissoko Embalo, has announced his intentions to step down at the end of his current mandate.

The 51-year-old made the announcement at the end of a Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday night, saying his wife had dissuaded him from running again.

President Emballo was elected in January 2020 to succeed outgoing president Jose Mario Vaz.

According to Reuters, the unexpected announcement could trigger a power vacuum and heighten political instability in the coup-prone country of around two million people

Embalo, an ex-army general who served as Prime Minister under Vaz, inherited a long-running political impasse in a country where coups and unrest have been common since independence from Portugal in 1974.

There were two attempts to overthrow him during his presidency with the most recent in December 2023.

His attempt to push through a constitutional change giving more powers to the president was rejected by Parliament.

The country is due to hold its next presidential elections in November 2024.

©Mimi Mefo Info – Guinea-Bissau President says won’t seek a second term