By Michelle Ndaga.
Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has officially declared his candidacy for the country’s November presidential elections, announcing that he will run as an independent.
“I will not be any political party’s candidate because I don’t want to be anyone’s hostage,” Embalo said, signalling a break from party politics in the West African nation, which has faced chronic political instability.
Embalo, who has been in office since 2020, framed his decision as an effort to maintain autonomy in governance and avoid the influence of party interests. Guinea-Bissau has experienced repeated political crises, military interventions, and government reshuffles over the past two decades, making stability a central issue in the upcoming vote.
The November election is expected to draw a crowded field of candidates, with tensions already rising in the lead-up to the polls. Embalo’s move positions him as an outsider to the country’s entrenched party system, a stance that could resonate with voters seeking political change.
