Guinea: Military Council announces government of majority civilians
Guinea’s ruling military junta announced the formation of a new government of 28 ministers, most of them civilians, including five military personnel, just days after the ouster of outgoing President Amr Sissoko Embalo.
The national defense portfolio in the government, announced on Saturday evening, was given to General Steve Lassana Mansali, and General Mamassalio Embalo was appointed interior minister.
The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights assigned Carlos Pinto Pereira, who was a member of the last governments of former President Embalo’s regime, and the foreign ministry to the November 23 presidential candidate, João Bernardo Vieira.
The TMC government included Osna Antonio Kadi as Minister of Presidency and Parliamentary Affairs, Carlos Nelson Sano as Minister of Regional Administration, and Mamadou Mjetaba Gallo as Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Integration.
Catarina Taborda, who was appointed minister of traditional tourism, apologized for the involvement and announced in a Facebook post that she wouldn’t be part of the government, stressing that she would continue to serve Guinea-Bissau diligently, responsibly, with integrity and commitment to women, youth and children, but outside the ministerial post.
The unveiling of a new government came at a time when the ousted president arrived in Congo Brazzaville from Senegal, which he arrived on Thursday evening 24 hours after the military coup, which former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan questioned, declaring that it wasn’t a coup, and Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, whose country mediated with the military to release Embalo, calling it a hoax.
The commander of Guinea-Bissau’s ground forces, Gen. Horta Ntam, was sworn in on Thursday as interim president for a year, and on the same day, Gen. Thomas Djasi was appointed army chief of staff.
On Friday, the interim president, Ilídio Vieira Té, who was finance minister under Sissoko, was appointed prime minister and finance minister at the same time.
The African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Guinea-Bissau’s membership following the military coup, and a delegation from ECOWAS is expected to visit the country to meet with the ruling military council.
