Guinea-Bissau’s transitional leader, General Horta N’Tam, has promoted himself to the highest rank in the country’s armed forces, deepening concerns over the direction of the military-led administration that seized power late last year.
In a decree he personally signed and authorised for publication on Thursday, N’Tam announced his elevation from brigadier general to major general, a four-star rank that sits at the apex of Guinea-Bissau’s military hierarchy. The move, executed without parliamentary or civilian oversight, underscores the consolidation of authority by the ruling junta.
The armed forces took control in November, days after a fiercely contested presidential election, ousting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and halting the electoral process. The junta justified the takeover as a preventive intervention, arguing it was necessary to avert violence between supporters of rival candidates who had both laid claim to victory while official results were still pending.
Following the coup, the military installed N’Tam, a long-time ally of the deposed president, as transitional president, pledging to oversee a one-year interim period. The junta has since announced December 6 as the date for fresh presidential and legislative elections aimed at restoring civilian rule.
Observers note that the self-promotion marks a symbolic and strategic assertion of control, signalling the military’s intent to entrench its dominance during the transition. Critics argue that such unilateral decisions risk undermining the credibility of the promised return to democratic governance.
Guinea-Bissau’s political history lends weight to these concerns. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, the small West African nation has endured four successful coups and numerous attempted uprisings. Chronic political instability, weak state institutions and widespread poverty have long hampered development, while also creating fertile conditions for corruption and transnational drug trafficking.
