UN: Polls for new G. Bissau Prexy very unlikely in 2 months
The UN Special Representative to Guinea Bissau Josef Mutaboba has said it would be very difficult for that country to organize an anticipated presidential election in two months, after the death of the Président Malam Bacai Sanha.
Mr. Mutaboba cited financial reason why it won’t be possible to hold the election within such timeframe.
He also said the organization of the presidential polls supposed to include a review of the electoral file, which had not been done since 2009, something he said needs time.
According to the Africa Press Agency (APA), the UN representative made the statement after a meeting with Guinea Bissau Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior.
The UN envoy has meanwhile, regretted the position of Guinea Bissau opposition coalition that they won’t accept National Assembly Speaker, Raimundo Pereira as interim president.
The death of the Guinea Bissau leader comes just a week after authorities announced a foiled plot to overthrow the government led by the former naval chief.
It also comes in the aftermath of a series of street protest which called for the removal of the country's Prime Minister Carlos Gomez Junior.
Prior to the 2009 polls won by the late President Sahna, Guinea Bissau had seen repeated incidents of political assassinations, the last being the assassinations of ex-President Jao Bernando Vieira and his military chief.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been given access to the Mansoa military prison and at Armura air base in Guinea Bissau, where nearly 40 soldiers accused of being involved in recent coup attempt are being detained.
Officials of the ICRC could not make specific statement on the conditions of the detainees, but said some essential relief supplies were delivered.
They said the group has been working since 1998 in Guinea-Bissau, where it provides protection and assistance for victims of various situations of violence.
Dénes Benczédi is Spokesman for the ICRC and WADR’s Awa Diedhiou speaks with him on the conditions of the detained Guinea soldiers.
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