Africa Guest Podcast Podcast

Presidential election in Guinea-Bissau: the floor for candidates in the second round

Last day to convince. The campaign ends this evening in Guinea-Bissau, with a view to the second round of the presidential election on Sunday, December 29, 2019, without the outgoing president José-Mario Vaz, eliminated in the first round. On this occasion, we invite you to listen to the two finalists. Domingos Simoes Pereira, PAIGC candidate, came out on top in the first round with 40% of the vote. As for Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who won only 27.65% of the vote, but obtained the support of several unsuccessful candidates. They are both guests of Carine Frenk.

RFI: Domingos Simoes Pereira, you are playing the stability card to convince. Stability, is that what Guinea Bissau needs at the moment particularly in your opinion?

Domingos Simoes Pereira: For me, it is priority number one, two, three for Guinea Bissau. I mean, we don't play to win at any cost. It is very important to write the foundations on which we will be able to build a stable country that is moving towards development.

Your opponent has won the support of three candidates, the third, the fourth, the fifth. He says " mathematically, I can't lose ". What do you say?

If he is satisfied with the support of the unsuccessful candidates, good luck! I have the support of the people of Guinea-Bissau, so we are off to a good start.

How do you see the future of former president José-Mario Vaz if you win?

I hope he will resume a normal life as a citizen. In any case, I assure you that I have no special feeling towards him.

No spirit of revenge?

Never. I have a thought, it is towards the life of the Bissau-Guineans. We must fight the poverty. This is what worries me. For the rest, if there is a problem with justice, he will face justice. He will prove if he is innocent or if he is guilty.

So should we expect prosecution?

It's not me, I'm not doing justice. On the other hand, as Head of State, I will launch a program of dialogue and forgiveness. All the Bissau-Guineans who recognize that they have been wrong in the past, by asking for forgiveness, I will be the first to accompany him to tell all the Bissau-Guineans that we must forgive. But, despite all that I can play as President of the Republic, justice remains neutral and with all the skills to decide one way or the other.

Your opponent, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, criticizes President Alpha Condé for wreaking havoc in Guinea-Bissau, to use his expression. You rather attacked President Macky Sall. What do you blame him for?

I have never had anything against President Macky Sall. I said that certain positions do not help the understanding of the Bissau-Guineans on neutrality for the political situation in Guinea-Bissau. These are two completely different things. I will tell you another thing: I have more, more frequent contacts with President Macky Sall because I cross Senegal more often than Guinea-Conakry. So, I do not know where it comes from, the feeling that I am closer to President Alpha Condé. But if it is, it's welcome.

And do you believe the army when it says that it will no longer intervene?

I believe him. Behind the army, there are always politicians. So I think that all the conditions are created so that on the 29th, the Bissau-Guineans, in complete freedom, can choose a new President of the Republic who will bring together the Bissau-Guineans towards development. I have no doubt about it.

RFI: Umaro Sissoco Embalo, you play the card of change, of rupture, why do you think it is necessary?

Umaro Sissoco Embalo: I think that Bissau, after 47 years of independence, that we still have the President of the Republic, the President of the Assembly, the Prime Minister, of the same party, it has come to nothing . So the people of Guinea-Bissau understood that we need change where everyone will be integrated.

You yourself are from PAIGC?

I am someone who voluntarily left PAIGC. It is a game of failure. Today, the country is in total breakdown. There is no health, there is no water, there is no energy, so we leave. Change is needed.

You arrive in second position, far behind, but you get the support of the third, fourth and fifth. Will this be enough to win?

Absolutely, because politics is statistics and mathematics. In Guinea-Bissau, in each presidential election, in the first round, the rates always give PAIGC candidates a minimum of 37% to 43% in the first round. He was defeated in the second round after the coalition of all the other candidates.

But do you know that the voting instructions are not always followed and that the PAIGC is a big electoral machine?

Maybe in France or somewhere in Europe but in Africa, the instructions are always followed. It's tradition! Here it is clear, even the field campaigns, we see. And then it is not the first experience.

You denounce the interference of the ECOWAS and the international community.

No, I did not denounce it since I myself am from the Cédéao. I said that there was a misinterpretation and a wrong evaluation which misled the international community. The mediator for the crisis in Guinea-Bissau was President Alpha Condé of Guinea-Conakry. A bad choice. Because he clearly supports the candidate Domingos Simoes Pereira. He did everything to humiliate the outgoing president, José-Mario Vaz. Alpha Condé, there are so many problems with him, how he can be a mediator for us. Alpha condé, since he is a mediator in Guinea-Bissau, there is a mess but that will end in a few days and a few hours. Once I am elected, he will never again be a mediator in Guinea-Bissau. Never again.

And your judgment is more lenient towards the Senegalese president Maky Sall?

No. He is a person with his head on his shoulders. I tell you that from the 30th, I will be the new president of Guinea Bissau to build on the whole with all the friends of Guinea-Bissau and all the heads of state of the sub-regions to support. And I will take their advice with mutual respect.

You are very optimistic.

Too even! And I know that I will win.

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