The High Military Command announces full control, citing political destabilization attempts and drug-linked networks.

Guinea-Bissau entered a new political phase after the military declared it had taken control of state institutions and appointed General Horta N’Tam as the country’s transitional president. General N’Tam was formally sworn in during an official ceremony held at the General Staff Headquarters, according to statements released by the junta.

The General is set to lead a one-year transition period, during which the military says it aims to “restore national order” and stabilize the country amid ongoing political disputes and escalating tensions following the contested elections of 23 November.

The group of officers calling themselves the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order announced their takeover through state television earlier in the week. The Command stated that the intervention became necessary due to alleged attempts by several politicians, along with a well-known drug trafficker, to destabilize the country and manipulate political processes.

The power shift occurred against the backdrop of a highly disputed electoral process. Before official results were released, outgoing President Umaro Sissoco Embaló claimed that he had secured 65% of the vote based on an internal count by his own team. His main rival, independent candidate Fernando Dias da Costa, simultaneously declared victory, further heightening political uncertainty.

Embaló had already been under criticism during the campaign period, with accusations that he sought to block the candidacy of leading opposition figure Domingos Simões Pereira, fueling further distrust among political actors and the public.

Following the military’s announcement, public institutions were placed under strict security, and the generals emphasized that their sole objective was to “protect the sovereignty of the nation” and prevent the country from sliding deeper into crisis.

As General N’Tam begins his tenure as transitional president, Guinea-Bissau faces yet another chapter in its long history of political instability, marked by coups, power struggles, and accusations of corruption and drug-related influence. (ILKHA)