Martinho Ndafa Kabi
Encyclopedia
Martinho Ndafa Kabi was the Prime Minister
of Guinea-Bissau
from 13 April 2007 to 5 August 2008. He is a leading member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
(PAIGC).
Kabi, a member of the Balanta ethnic group, was born in Nhacra
in Oio Region
. He joined PAIGC in March 1974 and was a delegate to PAIGC's First Extraordinary Congress (November 1981), Second Extraordinary Congress (January 1991), Fifth Ordinary Congress (December 1991), Sixth Ordinary Congress (May 1998), Third Extraordinary Congress (September 1999), and its Fourth Extraordinary Congress (January–February 2002). He was elected as President of the National Commission of Verification and Control at the Third Extraordinary Congress in 1999 and as the Third Vice-President of PAIGC at the Fourth Extraordinary Congress in 2002. Kabi is considered a PAIGC hardliner.
In the government of Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior
, he served as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources from May 2004 to April 2005, when he became Minister of Defense. After President Nino Vieira dismissed Gomes Júnior, the Standing Committee of the PAIGC Political Bureau chose Kabi to succeed him as Prime Minister, but Vieira instead appointed Aristides Gomes
, a PAIGC dissident loyal to the President, as Prime Minister on 2 November 2005. PAIGC argued that the appointment of Gomes was "arbitrary and unconstitutional", but it was upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2006.
The PAIGC, the Social Renewal Party (PRS), and the United Social Democratic Party
(PUSD) signed a "stability pact" in March 2007. After Aristides Gomes lost a no-confidence vote and submitted his resignation at the end of the month, Kabi was proposed as Prime Minister by the three-party alliance. On April 9, it was announced that President João Bernardo Vieira
had rejected the choice of Kabi, but the coalition said that they maintained him as their choice; later on the same day, Vieira appointed Kabi as the new Prime Minister. Kabi said that the main focus of his government would be the organization of a planned 2008 legislative election
; he also said that national reconciliation was necessary to achieve this goal and that he would "make dialogue a priority of [his] term in office".
Kabi took office on April 13, and his government, composed of 20 ministers (including eight from the PAIGC, eight from the PRS, and two from the PUSD) was named on April 17. Kabi was viewed as being close to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
As Prime Minister, Kabi was involved in a long dispute with the President of the Tribunal of Accounts, Francisco Fadul
.
PAIGC withdrew its backing for Kabi on February 29, 2008, saying that this was done "to avoid acts of indiscipline threatening cohesion and unity in the party". PAIGC President Carlos Gomes Júnior criticized Kabi for allegedly lacking loyalty to the party and sympathizing with the PRS. At PAIGC's Seventh Ordinary Congress in June–July 2008, Kabi was a candidate for the party leadership; Gomes and Malam Bacai Sanhá were the main candidates, however, and Gomes was re-elected as PAIGC President. Kabi received 95 votes, placing a distant third.
After Kabi dismissed the directors of customs, taxes and the treasury on July 25, 2008 without notifying the party in advance, PAIGC decided to withdraw from the three-party stability pact that was signed in March 2007.
Vieira dissolved the National People's Assembly and appointed Carlos Correia
to replace Kabi as Prime Minister on August 5, 2008. Kabi was out of the country at the time for health reasons.
Heads of government of Guinea-Bissau
-Prime Ministers of Guinea-Bissau :-Affiliations:-See also:*Guinea-Bissau**List of heads of state of Guinea-Bissau**List of colonial heads of Portuguese Guinea...
of Guinea-Bissau
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....
from 13 April 2007 to 5 August 2008. He is a leading member of 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).
Kabi, a member of the Balanta ethnic group, was born in Nhacra
Nhacra
Nhacra is a town in the Oio Region of Guinea-Bissau....
in Oio Region
Oio Region
Oio is a region in Guinea-Bissau. Its capital is Farim. Other major cities and towns include Nhacra, Mansoa, Bissorã and Cumeré. The region borders Senegal to the north, the Guinea-Bissau regions of Bafatá, Bissau and Biombo to the east, the Rio Geba/Guinea-Bissau region of Quinara to the south and...
. He joined PAIGC in March 1974 and was a delegate to PAIGC's First Extraordinary Congress (November 1981), Second Extraordinary Congress (January 1991), Fifth Ordinary Congress (December 1991), Sixth Ordinary Congress (May 1998), Third Extraordinary Congress (September 1999), and its Fourth Extraordinary Congress (January–February 2002). He was elected as President of the National Commission of Verification and Control at the Third Extraordinary Congress in 1999 and as the Third Vice-President of PAIGC at the Fourth Extraordinary Congress in 2002. Kabi is considered a PAIGC hardliner.
In the government of Prime Minister 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...
, he served as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources from May 2004 to April 2005, when he became Minister of Defense. After President Nino Vieira dismissed Gomes Júnior, the Standing Committee of the PAIGC Political Bureau chose Kabi to succeed him as Prime Minister, but Vieira instead appointed Aristides Gomes
Aristides Gomes
Aristides Gomes is the President of the Republican Party of Independence for Development in Guinea-Bissau. He was the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau from 2 November 2005 until 13 April 2007....
, a PAIGC dissident loyal to the President, as Prime Minister on 2 November 2005. PAIGC argued that the appointment of Gomes was "arbitrary and unconstitutional", but it was upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2006.
The PAIGC, the Social Renewal Party (PRS), and 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) signed a "stability pact" in March 2007. After Aristides Gomes lost a no-confidence vote and submitted his resignation at the end of the month, Kabi was proposed as Prime Minister by the three-party alliance. On April 9, it was announced that President João Bernardo Vieira
João Bernardo Vieira
João 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...
had rejected the choice of Kabi, but the coalition said that they maintained him as their choice; later on the same day, Vieira appointed Kabi as the new Prime Minister. Kabi said that the main focus of his government would be the organization of a planned 2008 legislative election
Guinea-Bissau legislative election, 2008
A parliamentary election was held on 16 November 2008 in Guinea-Bissau. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde won a majority of 67 out of 100 seats, while the Party for Social Renewal won 28 seats.-Chronology:...
; he also said that national reconciliation was necessary to achieve this goal and that he would "make dialogue a priority of [his] term in office".
Kabi took office on April 13, and his government, composed of 20 ministers (including eight from the PAIGC, eight from the PRS, and two from the PUSD) was named on April 17. Kabi was viewed as being close to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
As Prime Minister, Kabi was involved in a long dispute with the President of the Tribunal of Accounts, Francisco Fadul
Francisco Fadul
Francisco 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....
.
PAIGC withdrew its backing for Kabi on February 29, 2008, saying that this was done "to avoid acts of indiscipline threatening cohesion and unity in the party". PAIGC President Carlos Gomes Júnior criticized Kabi for allegedly lacking loyalty to the party and sympathizing with the PRS. At PAIGC's Seventh Ordinary Congress in June–July 2008, Kabi was a candidate for the party leadership; Gomes and Malam Bacai Sanhá were the main candidates, however, and Gomes was re-elected as PAIGC President. Kabi received 95 votes, placing a distant third.
After Kabi dismissed the directors of customs, taxes and the treasury on July 25, 2008 without notifying the party in advance, PAIGC decided to withdraw from the three-party stability pact that was signed in March 2007.
Vieira dissolved the National People's Assembly and appointed Carlos Correia
Carlos Correia
Carlos Correia is a Guinea-Bissau politician. He was Prime Minister from 27 December 1991 to 26 October 1994, from 6 June 1997 to 3 December 1998, and from 5 August 2008 to 25 December 2008....
to replace Kabi as Prime Minister on August 5, 2008. Kabi was out of the country at the time for health reasons.