Guinea-Bissau's electoral commission was left in shambles after a group of armed men stormed their headquarters and destroyed most of the country's election ballots, rendering the results of last week's national elections impossible to publish. The military had taken control of the West African nation just one day before the provisional results were set to be announced.
According to Idrissa Djalo, the deputy executive secretary of the country's National Electoral Commission (CNE), the armed men burst into the tabulation room on Monday morning, arresting the commission president and five Supreme Court judges who were present. They also threatened 45 agents and seized their phones and computers before destroying all the tally sheets.
The only remaining ballots came from Bissau, while the main server was destroyed, and the ballots being transferred between Oio and Cacheu were intercepted and confiscated by other men, leaving equipment in ruins.
In a bizarre twist, it has emerged that Guinea-Bissau's ousted president Umaro Sissoco Embalo is believed to have had backing for the coup, with speculation pointing to possible involvement from his current refuge in the Republic of Congo. The country has already experienced four coups and numerous attempted takeovers since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974.
The situation highlights Guinea-Bissau's tumultuous history and its precarious position within regional organizations. With the country among those suspended from the African Union following coups, it now joins a list that includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Madagascar, Niger, and Sudan – all struggling with instability and democracy.
According to Idrissa Djalo, the deputy executive secretary of the country's National Electoral Commission (CNE), the armed men burst into the tabulation room on Monday morning, arresting the commission president and five Supreme Court judges who were present. They also threatened 45 agents and seized their phones and computers before destroying all the tally sheets.
The only remaining ballots came from Bissau, while the main server was destroyed, and the ballots being transferred between Oio and Cacheu were intercepted and confiscated by other men, leaving equipment in ruins.
In a bizarre twist, it has emerged that Guinea-Bissau's ousted president Umaro Sissoco Embalo is believed to have had backing for the coup, with speculation pointing to possible involvement from his current refuge in the Republic of Congo. The country has already experienced four coups and numerous attempted takeovers since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974.
The situation highlights Guinea-Bissau's tumultuous history and its precarious position within regional organizations. With the country among those suspended from the African Union following coups, it now joins a list that includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Madagascar, Niger, and Sudan – all struggling with instability and democracy.
this is just another example of how politics can get super messy in some countries... i mean, i'm not gonna sit here and speculate on who's behind the coup or anything 
but it's pretty wild that they actually destroyed most of the election ballots. like, what's the point of even having an election if you're just gonna trash all the evidence afterwards? 
and ugh, four coups already since 1974... is this guy Umaro Sissoco Embalo for real tho? 
i feel bad for the people of Guinea-Bissau trying to live their lives with all this drama going on. 
I mean, think about it, Guinea-Bissau has been through so much already, four coups and counting... it's like they're stuck in this never-ending cycle of instability. The fact that Umaro Sissoco Embalo might be behind this latest move just highlights how far gone the country is. 
But what can we learn from this? I think it's a reminder that democracy isn't always easy, and sometimes you need to have tough conversations before things can get better. We need to keep pushing forward, but also be willing to listen and adapt. 
This is just so frustrating! I mean, can't they just have a smooth election process for once? Guinea-Bissau's got a lot on its plate already, what with the coups and instability, but do they need to sabotage their own elections too?! 
I don't know what's going on in this country, but it seems like they're always stuck in some kind of crisis mode. Guinea-Bissau deserves better than to be stuck in this cycle of instability and uncertainty. 
we need to keep an eye on this situation and see how it plays out, but for now, let's just hope that things can calm down and guinea-bissau can get back on track... fingers crossed! 
. I mean, can't these guys get it together? First, they gotta have another coup, then they destroy all their election ballots... what's goin' on?! It's like they're tryin' to make sure they don't win or somethin'. And now they're sayin' Umaro Sissoco Embalo might've had a hand in it? That's just great 
. I remember back in '02, Guinea-Bissau was already havin' some issues, but this is like the cherry on top of the sundae... or should I say, the coup-de-grace 
Who's behind this coup, and what's next? Will they just keep having elections until someone wins? Or is it just a never-ending cycle of drama and instability? 
. On one hand, I get why people would wanna revolt against a government that's not doing its job, but at the same time... shouldn't they have found a more peaceful way to address their concerns? 
And now it looks like Umaro Sissoco Embalo might've had something to do with this... I mean, who knows what's goin' on behind the scenes? 
But seriously, four coups in one country? That's just heartbreaking. What's the deal with Guinea-Bissau? Can't they catch a break? 
and can't stop 
. And now, with the president being ousted again... it feels like Groundhog Day 
. it's like they're stuck in a cycle of instability and coups 
what's really going on with sissoco embalo, tho? was he behind all this? 
anyway, it's sad for the people of guinea-bissau who deserve better than to live in a country that can't even get its elections right...