Roundup: Process to appoint Guinea Bissau's new PM hits impasse

Guinea Bissau is still embroiled in a political impasse regarding the appointment of a new prime minister after last week's dissolution of the government led by Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira.

On Friday, President Jose Mario Vaz asked the ruling party, the African Party for Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), to propose a new name for the prime minister's post.

However, the party remained firm on its position, once more proposing the dismissed prime minister's name.

According to the rules of PAIGC, it is the party's president, in this case Simoes Pereira, who is expected to occupy the prime minister's post.

The president of the republic held talks with four other political parties that have a parliamentary representation. However, they all indicated that it was only PAIGC that could propose the prime minister's name, as stipulated by Guinea Bissau's Constitution.

"We must respect the Constitution and give power to the party that won the legislative elections," said Florentino Mendes Pereira, the secretary general of the Social Renewal Party which is the second largest political force in the country.

Democratic Convergence Party President Vicente Fernandes reiterated that "the popular will should prevail and power should be given to PAIGC."

Supporting the same position was Agnelo Regala, the president of the Union for Change who affirmed that the party that won the elections should form government. He opposed the organization of snap legislative elections as an alternative.

A Bissau based Law professor Evaristo Vieira said PAIGC status should be respected and in case of any deadlock, the dissolution of parliament will be necessary so that the country can hold early legislative elections.

Guinea Bissau Human Rights League accused Presidebt Mario Vaz of orchestrating the crisis, with its spokesman Alex Bassucko blaming the president "for taking a premature decision."

Over the weekend, the Network of Women for Peace and Security in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) organized a peaceful protest calling for peace and stability in Guinea Bissau.

"The objective of the march was to call for understanding between the holders of public offices," the Network's president Elisa Tavares Pinto said.

At the same time, the president of Guinea Bissau's National Human Rights Commission Aida Indjai Fernandes said "there was need to respect the people's will."

Elsewhere, the outgoing Economy and Finance Minister Geraldo Martins over the weekend denied all accusations of embezzlement of public funds, as alleged by president Vaz.

"The president's calculations were erroneous," the outgoing minister affirmed.

The political crisis that led to the dissolution of government was as a result of differences between the president and his prime minister. They both belong to the same party, PAIGC.

Vaz dissolved government despite opposition from his party, the civil society, trade unions and despite calls for dialogue by representatives of the international community.

The United Nations Security Council has warned of a serious crisis that may derail the progress made since the establishment of constitutional order in Guinea Bissau after the 2014 elections. Enditem