2023-10-03 01:39:51
The President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, guarantees that there will be no “mess”, after MADEM-G15 called for the dissolution of Parliament. FATHER-Terra Ranka says he has other concerns.
The President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, says that the issue of the dissolution of Parliament, raised by the Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEM-G15), is none of his business.
“It’s up to the people at MADEM, it’s not the President of the Republic’s problem. It’s their problem, but there won’t be any mess in this country”, said Sissoco Embaló, this Monday, in statements to journalists.
PAI-Terra Ranka devalues “superficial controversies”
Last week, José Carlos Macedo, deputy leader of the MADEM-G15 parliamentary group, invited the President of the Republic to dissolve the National Popular Assembly (ANP) in June 2024, considering that there is a “serious political crisis”, after of the head of state and the president of Parliament engaging in public exchanges about the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Guinea-Bissau’s independence and the setting of the date for the next presidential elections in the country.
The parliamentary group of the Inclusive Alliance Platform (PAI) – Terra Ranka coalition, which governs the country, says that the coalition has other matters to worry about:
“Instead of wasting time on superficial controversies, our discussion as parliamentarians should essentially be based on themes of relevant national interest”, commented Mário Musante da Silva, first secretary of the PAI-Terra Ranka parliamentary group.
According to Musante da Silva, politicians’ attention should focus on combating poverty and hunger, basic sanitation, job creation, combating social inequality, as well as promoting investment in social sectors.
Dissolution is illegal
The leader of the Luz Party of Guinea-Bissau (PLGB), Lesmes Monteiro, states, on the other hand, that the country’s highest law does not allow the dissolution of the National Popular Assembly at this precise moment.
“The Constitution of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau sets a limit of twelve months [os primeiros doze meses da ANP] preventing the President of the Republic from using his constitutional prerogatives in relation to the fall of the National Popular Assembly”, says Lesmes Monteiro.
After twelve months, “the interpretation of the serious political crisis depends on the person who has the right to exercise this prerogative”, he adds.
Among other reasons evoked by MADEM-G15 to justify the dissolution of Parliament, the party accused the president of the ANP, Domingos Simões Pereira, of usurping the powers of the head of State and confronting Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
But political analyst Fransual Dias told DW Africa that, for now, he does not see any valid reason for the dissolution of Parliament. Furthermore, “the President of the Republic, as guarantor of national unity and representative of the State of Guinea-Bissau, is not and should not be bound by political disputes”.
The Movement for Democratic Alternation promised to take to the streets if, next year, the head of state does not dissolve the National Assembly.
By Iancuba Dansó
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