Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló Declines Second Term Amid Political Uncertainty

President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau has announced he will not seek a second term, citing ongoing political uncertainty in the country as a key factor in his decision.

On September 11, 2024, the President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló made an announcement that he will not contest for a second term in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled to be held in November. This choice has augmented political ambiguity within the West African state as it comes merely two months before voting day.

Since assuming office in 2020, Embaló has encountered a tumultuous presidency punctuated by two attempted coups. The most recent occurred during the middle of 2023. Guinea-Bissau, which has been bedeviled with political instability for an extended period, has endured numerous coup attempts ever since gaining independence back in 1974.

READ ALSO: Former Guinea-Bissau President’s Son Incarcerated in the United States

Without elaborating much, the president stepped down from his position citing that it was due to his wife’s request. His time in office saw him dissolving Parliament twice; however, he faced major challenges getting enough support to implement necessary reforms such as changing the semi-presidential system via a constitutional amendment proposal.

He refused to disclose a likely heir but eliminated his primary political adversaries, Domingos Simões Pereira, Nuno Gomes Nabiam and Braima Camara. He asserted that “I guarantee none of them will take over my position.”