The opposition group said they wouldprevent the holding of elections in theabsence of the ‘‘total and definitive set-tlement’’ of their grievances, but theMinister of Territorial Administration,Alhassane Conde, dismissed it as a‘‘a bluff’’. (PANA, Conakry 1 ⁄ 3)

Guinea was meant to go to the polls inlate December, but the ballot was post-poned to meet opposition demands fora role in planning the vote. The opposi-tion had complained it was not con-sulted when the December date was setand accused the regime of planning tohold sham polls with no safeguardsagainst fraud.

The last legislative elections were inJune 2002 during the regime of Presi-dent Lansana Conte, who ruled thewest African nation for 24 years untilhis death in December 2008. A transi-tional council has served as a parlia-ment since 2010 during the transitionfrom military to civilian rule. AlphaConde was elected president in Novem-ber 2010.

Meanwhile, police used tear gas tobreak up an opposition rally seekingclean elections in July, arresting dozensof people in the capital on March 17thDozens of people, mainly young, werepicked up in the area around the sta-dium.

When opposition leaders including ex-prime ministers Lansana Kouyate andSidya Toure arrived and began address-ing enthusiastic protestors the policemoved in with tear gas to dispersethem.

‘‘The struggle is only beginning, dicta-torship will not succeed, long live freeand democratic Guinea, we will win,’’said Kouyate of the Party for Hopeand National Development

Toure, of the Union for the Republic,added: ‘‘As long as they try to stop usspeaking freely, we will do it as we like,or by force.’’

Opposition parties had earlierannounced a series of rallies across thenation to force President Conde toorganise credible and transparent legis-lative polls on July 8th. (� AFP 1,17 ⁄ 32012)

GUINEA BISSAUPresidential – First Round

A run-off vote will be held betweenveteran politicians Gomes Juniorand Yala.

BBC News Online reports that no can-didate won enough votes in the firstround of the presidential election held

on March 18th to avoid a run-off,according to preliminary results.

Ex-prime minister Carlos Gomes nar-rowly missed winning an overall major-ity in the first vote, scoring 49%,according to the election commission.In the next round he should face ex-president Kumba Yala, who secured23%.

On March 20th, five candidates, includ-ing Mr Yala, rejected the vote, claimingthe poll had been fraudulent, and thatthey would submit a formal complaint.

On March 23rd, Yala said that hewould not participate in the run-offvote because the first round had beenunfair and that a new voter registrationshould be done before he would takepart.

The election was held after the death ofthe last president, Malam Bacai Sanha,in January following a long illness.

The head of the UK observer mission,Peter Thompson, said his team wascontent with the way in which the firstround had been conducted. The secondround is set to be held in April,although the date has not been con-firmed. It also remains unclear whetherMr Yala will agree to participate in therun-off.

National Assembly speaker Manuel Se-rifo Nhamadjo scored 16% in the firstround and Henrique Rosa achieved 5%.

Hours after the polls closed on March18th, the former head of military intel-ligence, Col Samba Djalo, was shotdead by uniformed men. It is not clearwhy he was shot but he was previouslylinked to a 2009 bombing which killedthe then army chief. (BBC News Online21,23 ⁄ 3)

Meanwhile, the Economic Communityof West African States (ECOWAS) hassaid the presidential election was con-ducted under ‘‘acceptable conditions offreedom and transparency’’.

In a preliminary report issued onMarch 19th, the regional bloc saidthere were no major obstacles or inci-dents that could render the voting pro-cess irregular. It noted however, thatdelays were noted in some polling sta-tions due mainly to logistical problemsand the transportation of material.

The Mission in particular commendedthe National Electoral Commission forthe successful organisation of the elec-tion despite the limited time-frame pre-scribed by the Constitution, addingthat the election was fundamental notonly for the consolidation of demo-cratic governance in Guinea Bissau, butalso for national cohesion and recon-struction. (PANA 20 ⁄ 3)

International donors pledged nearly€7.5m (US$10m) to finance the elec-tions. The spending will be overseen bythe UN Development Programme(UNDP).

The money will be used both for thepresidential election and legislative elec-tions expected in November. About579,000 voters are eligible to vote inthe elections. (� AFP 28 ⁄ 2 2012) Presi-

dential candidates p. 19160C

Guinea Bissau

Leading Presidential Candidates

Carlos Gomes Junior: A political survi-vor, Gomes, 60, stepped down as primeminister to run in the election as the can-didate for the ruling African Party forthe Independence of Guinea and CapeVerde (PAIGCV)

After winning a second term as primeminister in 2008 following a brief stintbetween 2004 and 2005, the formerbanker and businessman shook up gov-ernment, defence and security sectors.

On April 1st, 2010 Gomes was brieflyheld captive by renegade soldiers in anarmy mutiny in which Antonio Indjaideclared himself the new army chief.

Gomes specialised in oil economics dur-ing his studies in Portugal and made hisname in the hydrocarbons sector as headof a fuel import company. At one timehe was said to be the richest man in Gui-nea-Bissau.

He first became prime minister in 2004parliamentary elections, but had a frac-tious relationship with then presidentJoao Bernardo Vieira who dissolved gov-ernment a year later, replacing him asprime minister, but after the 2008 elec-tions Vieira again appointed him to thepost.

While unpopular with the army, andsome within his party, Gomes is stronglybacked by oil-rich Angola which hasupped investment in the country.

Kumba Yala: Yala, 59, a captivatingspeaker who has been called erratic andunpredictable, ruled Guinea-Bissau from2000 to 2003.

His presidency was plagued by instabil-ity, the firing of judges and ministers andpoor financial management, and onlyserved to deepen the country’s crises.

A brilliant man from a family of peas-ants, Yala speaks several languages andcan read Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Hestudied theology, philosophy and law.

The military, proclaiming itself tired ofthe ‘‘incapacity’’ of Yala’s government,ousted him in a bloodless coup in 2003.He has since run for president twice andscored 29% in 2009 polls.

Yala retains strong support among themain Balanta ethnic group. (� AFP15 ⁄ 3 2012)

March 1st–31st 2012 Africa Research Bulletin – 19195

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� Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2012.