Guinea-Bissau capital slowly returns to normal after coup

November 28, 2025 / 10:03 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: Life in Guinea-Bissau’s capital began returning to a semblance of normality on Friday, two days after a military coup that halted elections and forced the president into exile. The coup occurred just before authorities were to announce provisional results from Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections, leaving the true motives behind the country’s fifth coup in 45 years uncertain.

New transitional leadership installed

The military appointed General Horta N'Tam, the army’s chief of staff, as transitional leader for one year. On Friday, N'Tam named current Finance Minister Ilidio Vieira Te as prime minister, who will continue overseeing the finance ministry. Outgoing President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, previously considered close to N'Tam, was arrested Wednesday but allowed to fly to Senegal on Thursday aboard an aircraft chartered by Dakar.

Daily life gradually resumes

By Friday, AFP journalists observed vehicles and pedestrians returning to the main road linking Bissau’s port to the presidential palace. Security presence eased in some districts but remained tight in strategic locations. Markets, shops, restaurants, and small grocery stores reopened, though business activity remained sluggish. “If I stay home, I will have nothing to eat,” said 25-year-old street vendor Boubacar Embalo, who reported struggling to make any sales.

Uneven recovery across the city

While central areas showed signs of revival, surrounding neighbourhoods remained quieter, with sparse activity in recently reopened markets. Land, air, and sea borders—sealed since Wednesday—were reportedly reopened. The military also lifted the nationwide curfew and ordered the reopening of schools, markets, and private institutions.

Political tensions and election disputes

Guinea-Bissau, positioned between Senegal and Guinea, has endured decades of instability with repeated coups since independence in 1974. Opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed he won Sunday’s vote and accused Embalo of orchestrating the coup to block his victory. Analysts suggest that control over illegal drug-smuggling networks—long linked to political and military elites—may have also influenced the power struggle.

Regional response and ongoing instability

Senegalese President Ousmane Sonko condemned the coup as a “scam,” urging continuation of the electoral process and release of official results. Guinea-Bissau’s last presidential election in 2019 led to months of crisis with competing claims to the presidency, resolved only when ECOWAS recognised Embalo as the winner in April 2020.