Guinea-Bissau’s army announced on Friday that it had foiled an attempt to subvert the country’s constitutional order and arrested several senior military officers on the eve of the start of general election campaigning.
Deputy Chief of Staff General Mamadu Ture told journalists that the plot aimed to disrupt the forthcoming electoral process but did not disclose how many officers were detained or the specific actions they intended to take.
Campaigning is set to begin on Saturday, around three weeks before the legislative and presidential elections, which are expected to be dominated by incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo following the disqualification of the main opposition party.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Thursday, President Embalo warned that “no disorder will be tolerated” and assured that the government had taken all necessary measures to guarantee the safety of every candidate during the campaign period.
Among those reportedly arrested was Brigadier General Daba Nawalna, director of a military training centre located about 30 kilometres from the capital, Bissau. He is accused of being one of the masterminds behind the foiled plot, according to General Ture.
Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced multiple coups. However, since the 2014 presidential election, the West African nation has made gradual progress towards consolidating the rule of law.