Guinea-Bissau presidential election, 2005
Encyclopedia
Guinea-Bissau
held a presidential election
on 19 June 2005, and a second round run-off vote
was held on 24 July. The election marked the end of a transition to democratic
rule after the previously elected government was overthrown in a September 2003 military coup led by General Veríssimo Correia Seabra
.
government was nominated to oversee the transition and sworn in on 28 September 2003. Henrique Rosa
was appointed interim President following talks with military, political, and civil society
leaders, while Artur Sanhá
of the Social Renewal Party (PRS) was named Prime Minister.
A legislative election
, delayed numerous times during the presidency of Kumba Ialá
, took place on 28 March 2004. The poll was declared free and fair by election observers and the former ruling party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
(PAIGC), won a plurality of the seats. Ialá's party, the PRS, placed second, followed by the United Social Democratic Party
(PUSD). PAIGC leader Carlos Gomes Júnior
took office as Prime Minister in May 2004.
The transitional period has been one of increased political and national stability. The caretaker government
has managed to improve Guinea-Bissau's human rights
record, as evidenced in the most recent U.S. State Department
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices entry for Guinea-Bissau (released 28 February 2005, which says "The [Transitional] Government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas". The previous report (released 25 February 2004) stated "The [Ialá] Government's human rights record remained poor, and it continued to commit serious abuses".
The biggest threat to stability came on 6 October 2004 when a mutiny
by soldiers—instigated by unpaid wages—turned violent. General Veríssimo Correia Seabra and his lieutenant were killed by the revolting soldiers. Despite this setback, the tense relations between the government and the military improved with the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
Diplomats and political analysts say that the participation of the two ex-presidents Vieira and Ialá may exacerbate tensions among ethnic groups and the military that could destabilize the country. Ex-President Vieira has a troubled relationship with the armed forces. Ex-President Ialá, on the other hand, has a very poor reputation among potential donor countries and financial institutions, with the International Monetary Fund
and World Bank
freezing aid to the country during his presidency. He has a considerable amount of support from the Balanta ethnic group which dominates the military, but has little support from the other groups. There are unconfirmed reports of the establishment of armed groups along ethnic lines in Bissau
.
Four candidates who were approved to contest the election withdrew in the weeks leading up to the poll. They are:
On 22 June, provisional tallies put Sanhá in first place, followed by Vieira and Ialá in third. Members of Ialá's Social Renewal Party (PRS) deemed the results "false".
On 24 June, at least two people died when police fired tear gas and live bullets at a crowd of Ialá supporters, who were protesting the released results.
Final results of the first round were released on 25 June. Malam Bacai Sanhá received 35.45% of the vote, João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira won 28.87%, and Kumba Ialá 25.00%. Ten other candidates split the remaining votes. Electoral commission head Malam Mané made "a strong appeal for moderation and public-spiritedness." Voter turnout for the first round was placed at 87.3%.
Beginning on 25 June, Senegal
ese President Abdoulaye Wade
held separate meetings with the three main candidates; Wade said that he was mediating at the request of ECOWAS and was not interfering in Guinea-Bissau's affairs. Kumba Ialá, speaking at a press conference in Dakar
on 27 June, accepted the results "in the interests of peace and stability", although he still maintained that he had actually received the most votes. According to Ialá, he won 38%, Sanhá won 28%, and Vieira won 26%; he alleged that the votes were manipulated so that his total went to Sanhá and Sanhá's total went to Vieira. Also on 27 June, Vieira promised to "respect the verdict of the ballot boxes", as did Sanhá, who described himself as "a man of peace and stability".
. He called Vieira "a symbol of the construction of the Guinean state and of national unity because he proclaimed our independence in the hills of Boe" and said that he could "be relied upon to defend our national independence, to oppose neo-colonialism, to build the republic and promote peace, stability and above all, national reconciliation". Given Ialá's sharp hostility to Vieira in previous years, this endorsement was viewed as surprising by many, and there was reportedly significant dissatisfaction with the decision among Ialá's supporters.
The run-off between Sanhá and Vieira was conducted on 24 July 2005. Results were expected in about a week. http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-07-24T144505Z_01_N24219866_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-BISSAU-DC.XML, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4711573.stm
On July 28, the electoral commission reported that Vieira had garnered 20,000 vote more than Sanhá in run-off voting, however, the results were "provisional" since the PAIGC demanded a recount, citing irregularities in the capital and in the west. After the provisional results were announced, Vieira praised his rival Sanha, called him a democrat and said he hoped he would help unify the country; he also vowed that "from today, Guinea-Bissau will change in the right direction". A spokesman for Sanha alleged fraud, however. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4727105.stm
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
held a presidential election
Elections in Guinea-Bissau
Elections in Guinea-Bissau gives information on election and election results in Guinea-Bissau.Guinea-Bissau elects on national level a head of state and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people...
on 19 June 2005, and a second round run-off vote
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
was held on 24 July. The election marked the end of a transition to democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
rule after the previously elected government was overthrown in a September 2003 military coup led by General Veríssimo Correia Seabra
Veríssimo Correia Seabra
Veríssimo Correia Seabra was a Guinea-Bissau general, known for leading a coup that deposed Kumba Ialá on September 14, 2003.-Biography:Correia Seabra was born in the capital city, Bissau, on February 16, 1947...
.
Post-coup transition
Following the coup, a civilianCivilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
government was nominated to oversee the transition and sworn in on 28 September 2003. Henrique Rosa
Henrique Rosa
-Interim President of Guinea-Bissau:He was interim President of Guinea-Bissau from 28 September 2003 to 1 October 2005. His appointment came following a 14 September military coup that deposed the elected government of President Kumba Ialá and subsequent talks between political officials, civil...
was appointed interim President following talks with military, political, and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
leaders, while Artur Sanhá
Artur Sanhá
António Artur Sanhá is a politician in Guinea-Bissau. He was the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau from 28 September 2003 to 10 May 2004 and also served as Secretary-General of the Party for Social Renewal ....
of the Social Renewal Party (PRS) was named Prime Minister.
A legislative election
Guinea-Bissau legislative election, 2004
A legislative election was held in Guinea-Bissau on March 28, 2004. The election had been repeatedly postponed due to political and financial chaos in the country, and due to the coup d'état which overthrew President Kumba Ialá in September 2003....
, delayed numerous times during the presidency of Kumba Ialá
Kumba Ialá
Kumba Ialá, also spelled Yalá , is a Guinea-Bissau politician who was President of Guinea-Bissau from 17 February 2000 until he was deposed in a military coup on 14 September 2003. He belongs to the Balanta ethnic group and is the President of the Social Renewal Party...
, took place on 28 March 2004. The poll was declared free and fair by election observers and the former ruling party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde or PAIGC is a political party that governed Guinea-Bissau from the independence of the then Portuguese Guinea in 1974, until the late 1990s, and from 2004 to 2005. Currently it is the party with the largest number of seats in the...
(PAIGC), won a plurality of the seats. Ialá's party, the PRS, placed second, followed by the United Social Democratic Party
United Social Democratic Party
The United Social Democratic Party is a centre-left social democratic political party in Guinea-Bissau.Former Prime Minister Francisco Fadul was elected as the President of the PUSD on 18 December 2002 at a party convention in Bissau....
(PUSD). PAIGC leader Carlos Gomes Júnior
Carlos Gomes Júnior
Carlos Domingos Gomes Júnior is the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He was previously Prime Minister from 10 May 2004 to 2 November 2005, and he was again appointed to that post on 25 December 2008...
took office as Prime Minister in May 2004.
The transitional period has been one of increased political and national stability. The caretaker government
Caretaker government
Caretaker government is a type of government that rules temporarily. A caretaker government is often set up following a war until stable democratic rule can be restored, or installed, in which case it is often referred to as a provisional government...
has managed to improve Guinea-Bissau's human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
record, as evidenced in the most recent U.S. State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices entry for Guinea-Bissau (released 28 February 2005, which says "The [Transitional] Government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas". The previous report (released 25 February 2004) stated "The [Ialá] Government's human rights record remained poor, and it continued to commit serious abuses".
The biggest threat to stability came on 6 October 2004 when a mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
by soldiers—instigated by unpaid wages—turned violent. General Veríssimo Correia Seabra and his lieutenant were killed by the revolting soldiers. Despite this setback, the tense relations between the government and the military improved with the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
Candidates
On 10 May 2005, the Supreme Court published a list of candidates that will contest the election. Three previously barred candidates were allowed to contest the poll and appeared on the final list of candidates published on 18 May. The 13 candidates are:- Adelino Mano QuetaAdelino Mano QuetáAdelino Mano Quetá is a Guinea-Bissauan politician and diplomat. Quetá ran as an independent in the 2005 Guinea-Bissau presidential election, where he finished ninth in a field of thirteen candidates. He was appointed foreign minister in 2009, replacing Adiato Diallo Nandigna.-Career:Quetá was...
- Independent - Antonieta Rosa Gomes - Guinean Civic Forum-Social DemocracyGuinean Civic Forum-Social DemocracyThe Guinean Civic Forum-Social Democracy is a political party in Guinea-Bissau. Antonieta Rosa Gomes is leader of the party.In Guinea-Bissau's first multiparty presidential election held on 3 July 1994, Gomes placed last out of eight candidates, winning 1.79% of the vote...
(FCG-SD). Contested the 1994 presidential election and won 1.79% of the vote. - Aregado Mantenque TéAregado Mantenque TéAregado Mantenque Té is a Guinea-Bissau politician and leader of the Workers' Party .Running as the PT presidential candidate in the 19 June 2005 election, Mantenque placed 5th out of 13 candidates, receiving 2.02% of the vote.-References:...
- Workers' PartyWorkers' Party (Guinea-Bissau)The Workers' Party is a left-wing, socialist, political party in Guinea-Bissau.It was founded 17 July 2002 in Lisbon, Portugal. In presidential elections held on 19 June 2005, PT leader Aregado Mantenque Té placed fifth out of thirteen candidates, winning 2.02% of the vote.-External links:*...
(PT) - Paulino Empossa Ié - Independent
- Faustino Fadut Imbali - Manifest Party of the PeopleManifest Party of the PeopleThe Manifest Party of the People is a political party in Guinea-Bissau.In the last legislative election held on 28 March 2004, the PMP won 0.79% of the popular vote but failed to gain representation in the National People's Assembly....
(PMP). Prime Minister from March to December of 2001. - Francisco FadulFrancisco FadulFrancisco José Fadul is a Guinea-Bissau politician who was Prime Minister from 3 December 1998 to 19 February 2000. He led the United Social Democratic Party , one of the country's main political parties, from 2002 to 2006....
- United Social Democratic PartyUnited Social Democratic PartyThe United Social Democratic Party is a centre-left social democratic political party in Guinea-Bissau.Former Prime Minister Francisco Fadul was elected as the President of the PUSD on 18 December 2002 at a party convention in Bissau....
(PUSD). Prime Minister from 3 December 1998 to 19 February 2000. - Mamadú Iaia DjalóMamadú Iaia DjalóMamadu Iaia Djaló is a Guinea-Bissau politician.Running as an independent presidential candidate in the 19 June 2005 election, Djaló placed 6th out of 13 presidential candidates, receiving 1.59% of the vote.-References:...
- Independent - Idrissa DjalóIdrissa DjalóIdrissa Djaló is a Guinea-Bissau politician and leader of the National Unity Party .Djaló, an entrepreneur, founded the PUN on July 26, 2001. Running as the PUN candidate in the 19 June 2005 presidential election, Djaló placed 8th out of 13 candidates, receiving 0.81% of the vote. He was the...
- National Unity PartyNational Unity Party (Guinea-Bissau)The National Unity Party is a political party in Guinea-Bissau. It was founded by Idrissa Djaló on July 26 2001.In the parliamentary election held on 28 March 2004, the party won 1.46% of the popular vote and no seats. In the 2005 presidential election, Djaló, running as the PUN candidate, won...
(PUN) - João Bernardo "Nino" VieiraJoão Bernardo VieiraJoão Bernardo "Nino" Vieira was the President of Guinea-Bissau from 1980 to 1999 and again from 2005 to 2009. After seizing power in 1980, Vieira ruled for 19 years, and he won a multiparty presidential election in 1994. He was ousted at the end of the 1998–1999 civil war and went into exile...
- Independent. President from 1980 to 1999. Like Ialá, he was banned from national politics for five years but his candidacy was approved by the supreme court. - João Tátis Sá - Guinean People's PartyGuinean People's PartyThe Guinean People's Party is a small political party in Guinea-Bissau....
(PPG) - Kumba IaláKumba IaláKumba Ialá, also spelled Yalá , is a Guinea-Bissau politician who was President of Guinea-Bissau from 17 February 2000 until he was deposed in a military coup on 14 September 2003. He belongs to the Balanta ethnic group and is the President of the Social Renewal Party...
- Social Renewal Party (PRS). He contested the country's first democratic elections in 1994, losing to incumbent João Bernardo VieiraJoão Bernardo VieiraJoão Bernardo "Nino" Vieira was the President of Guinea-Bissau from 1980 to 1999 and again from 2005 to 2009. After seizing power in 1980, Vieira ruled for 19 years, and he won a multiparty presidential election in 1994. He was ousted at the end of the 1998–1999 civil war and went into exile...
, and won the 1999/2000 election. He served as president from 17 February 2000 until his ouster by the military in September 2003. His nomination is controversial because the transitional government announced a five-year ban on political activities for former leaders following the coup. Despite this, the Supreme Court approved his candidacy. - Malam Bacai SanháMalam Bacai SanháMalam Bacai Sanhá is a Guinea-Bissau politician who has been President of Guinea-Bissau since 8 September 2009. A member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde , Sanhá was President of the National People's Assembly from 1994 to 1999 and then served as acting President...
- African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAICG). He served as acting president from 14 May 1999 to 17 February 2000. Sanhá ran in the previous presidential elections, held on 28 November 1999 and placed second with 23.37% of the vote to Kumba Ialá's 38.81%. In the run-offTwo-round systemThe two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
held on 16 January 2000, he was soundly defeated by Ialá, who received 72% of the vote. - Mário Lopes da Rosa - Independent
Diplomats and political analysts say that the participation of the two ex-presidents Vieira and Ialá may exacerbate tensions among ethnic groups and the military that could destabilize the country. Ex-President Vieira has a troubled relationship with the armed forces. Ex-President Ialá, on the other hand, has a very poor reputation among potential donor countries and financial institutions, with the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
freezing aid to the country during his presidency. He has a considerable amount of support from the Balanta ethnic group which dominates the military, but has little support from the other groups. There are unconfirmed reports of the establishment of armed groups along ethnic lines in Bissau
Bissau
Bissau is the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. The city's borders are conterminous with the Bissau Autonomous Sector. In 2007, the city had an estimated population of 407,424 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística e Censos...
.
Four candidates who were approved to contest the election withdrew in the weeks leading up to the poll. They are:
- Abubacar Baldé - National Union for Democracy and ProgressNational Union for Democracy and Progress (Guinea-Bissau)The National Union for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Guinea-Bissau.In the last legislative election held on 28 March 2004, the UNDP won 1.18% of the popular vote but failed to gain representation in the National People's Assembly....
(UNDP) - Iancuba Indjai - Solidarity and Labor Party (PST). Declared support for Malam Bacai Sanhá.
- Ibraima Sow - Independent. Declared support for João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira.
- Salvador Tchongó - Resistance of Guinea-Bissau - Bafatá Movement (RGB-MB)
First round
Voting took place peacefully on 19 June. Chief EU election monitor Johan Van Heck said his group noted no major irregularities, adding, "We have the impression that throughout the country everyone has had the chance to express themselves without being intimidated." The next day, Van Heck praised the fact that "the military forces abstained from intervening in the process and rather helped the conduct of the election." The EU observer added, "More than 90 percent of the polling stations were fully operational an hour after they had opened, and the secret ballot was guaranteed."On 22 June, provisional tallies put Sanhá in first place, followed by Vieira and Ialá in third. Members of Ialá's Social Renewal Party (PRS) deemed the results "false".
On 24 June, at least two people died when police fired tear gas and live bullets at a crowd of Ialá supporters, who were protesting the released results.
Final results of the first round were released on 25 June. Malam Bacai Sanhá received 35.45% of the vote, João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira won 28.87%, and Kumba Ialá 25.00%. Ten other candidates split the remaining votes. Electoral commission head Malam Mané made "a strong appeal for moderation and public-spiritedness." Voter turnout for the first round was placed at 87.3%.
Beginning on 25 June, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese President Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade is the third and current President of Senegal, in office since 2000. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party and has led the party since it was founded in 1974...
held separate meetings with the three main candidates; Wade said that he was mediating at the request of ECOWAS and was not interfering in Guinea-Bissau's affairs. Kumba Ialá, speaking at a press conference in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
on 27 June, accepted the results "in the interests of peace and stability", although he still maintained that he had actually received the most votes. According to Ialá, he won 38%, Sanhá won 28%, and Vieira won 26%; he alleged that the votes were manipulated so that his total went to Sanhá and Sanhá's total went to Vieira. Also on 27 June, Vieira promised to "respect the verdict of the ballot boxes", as did Sanhá, who described himself as "a man of peace and stability".
Second round (runoff)
On July 2, Ialá announced his support for Vieira's candidacy in the second roundTwo-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
. He called Vieira "a symbol of the construction of the Guinean state and of national unity because he proclaimed our independence in the hills of Boe" and said that he could "be relied upon to defend our national independence, to oppose neo-colonialism, to build the republic and promote peace, stability and above all, national reconciliation". Given Ialá's sharp hostility to Vieira in previous years, this endorsement was viewed as surprising by many, and there was reportedly significant dissatisfaction with the decision among Ialá's supporters.
The run-off between Sanhá and Vieira was conducted on 24 July 2005. Results were expected in about a week. http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-07-24T144505Z_01_N24219866_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-BISSAU-DC.XML, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4711573.stm
On July 28, the electoral commission reported that Vieira had garnered 20,000 vote more than Sanhá in run-off voting, however, the results were "provisional" since the PAIGC demanded a recount, citing irregularities in the capital and in the west. After the provisional results were announced, Vieira praised his rival Sanha, called him a democrat and said he hoped he would help unify the country; he also vowed that "from today, Guinea-Bissau will change in the right direction". A spokesman for Sanha alleged fraud, however. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4727105.stm
External links
- Angus Reid Consultants - Election Tracker
- Guine-Bissau.com (In Portuguese)
- Afrol News
- African Elections Database
- IRIN News
- PAIGC Official Site (In Portuguese)
- PUSD Official Site (In Portuguese)
- Official Site of PUSD Candidate Francisco Fadul (In Portuguese)
- U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2004