By RFPosted on 31-10-2019Modified on 31-10-2019 at 21:06

In Guinea-Bissau, President José Mario Vaz has appointed by decree a new government this Thursday, October 31. A new stage of the political crisis that comes on the eve of the start of the campaign for the presidential election scheduled for November 24.

Seventeen ministers, 14 secretaries of state, and allied parties to President José Mário Vaz widely favored. Eleven portfolios were awarded to the Movement for Alternation and Democracy and ten to the Social Renewal Party. The United People's Alliance raises four. Most members of Guinea-Bissau's new executive were already in the transitional government following the 2012 coup .

José Mário Vaz persists and signs. Despite pressure from the ECOWAS, which denounced its decision to dismiss Prime Minister Aristide Gomes and to appoint Faustino Imbali in his place , those of the UN, the African Union and the European Union who supported the paper yesterday. the West African organization, the president of Guinea-Bissau has a proactive stance. " He will not change his mind, " said a deputy, while a delegation of ECOWAS is expected in Bissau Saturday.

Decrees deemed "illegitimate" by the ECOWAS

At the summit in Ouagadougou last June, the West African organization had established the roadmap: while the president's term has expired since June 23, she accepted that he remains, but with very limited powers, until presidential election, scheduled for 24 November. Charge the government of Aristides Gomes to prepare these elections and to manage the current affairs. In a very strong statement, ECOWAS has already denounced " illegitimate President " decrees and reaffirmed its support for Aristides Gomes.

For the time being, everyone is sticking to his positions. José Mário Vaz justified the sacking of the Prime Minister on Monday in speaking of a " serious political crisis which prevents the normal functioning of the institutions of the Republic ". For his part, Aristides Gomes returns the ball and accuses him of causing a political crisis. A few days before his dismissal, he had already denounced " an attempted coup " .

The mistrust between the two men is not new. Since the appointment of the Prime Minister in 2015, relations are difficult. Aristides Gomes comes from the PAIGC, the historic party that won the last legislative elections of March and of which José Mário Vaz was excluded. The president is in open conflict with the PAIGC leader. According to an observer, the head of state and his former prime minister had not spoken to each other for three months. The second no longer came to hearings.

Warning of ECOWAS

A feeling of " humiliation " of the president is also mentioned. José Mário Vaz could not take part in the last international meetings, and that because the Ministry of Finance would have refused to unblock the funds for these trips to the UN General Assembly or to the summit of the ECOWAS in Ouagadougou . Feeling isolated, dismissed by the Prime Minister's team, the President therefore shows his willingness to regain control.

With less than a month of presidential elections, ECOWAS insists that the calendar be respected, at the risk of " plunging the country into a chaotic situation ". José Mário Vaz, who asked a few days ago for the revision of the electoral register, which would have the effect of delaying the vote, finally said that the election would take place on the scheduled date. He had called for demonstrations last Saturday with other opposition parties to call the postponement of the vote. The demonstration was repressed by the police, a person was killed.

It is in this context that the campaign for the presidential election officially begins this Saturday, November 2nd. Twelve candidates are in the running.

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