The National Electoral Commission (CNE) of Guinea-Bissau has declared itself unable to publish the results of the recent presidential and legislative elections after armed actors destroyed the majority of vote tallies.
According to Idrissa Djalo, Deputy Executive Secretary of the CNE, the disruption occurred following a military takeover last Wednesday, one day before provisional election results were scheduled for release.
“All tally sheets, except those from the capital, Bissau, were destroyed,” Djalo said. “The main server was compromised, and materials being transported from Oio and Cacheu were intercepted and confiscated. All associated equipment was destroyed.”
Djalo recounted that armed individuals, reportedly masked, forcibly entered the tabulation office, detaining the CNE president and five Supreme Court judges, while threatening 45 electoral staff. Phones, computers, and election records were seized or destroyed during the raid.
Earlier this week, the CNE met with representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who inquired about the possibility of releasing the election results. Djalo informed them that it was not feasible under the current circumstances.
The motives behind the coup remain unclear. Speculation exists regarding potential involvement or acquiescence by ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who has since sought refuge in the Republic of Congo.
Guinea-Bissau, located between Senegal and Guinea, has experienced multiple coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. The latest military takeover positions the country among several African states recently suspended from the African Union for unconstitutional changes of government, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Madagascar, Niger, and Sudan.
CNE President Mpabi Cabi, recently released after a five-day detention, made his first public appearance alongside Djalo, underscoring the severity of the electoral disruption and its implications for governance in Guinea-Bissau.
