President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the Guinea-Bissau president has dismissed Geraldo Martins as the nation’s prime minister, only a week after his reappointment.
The presidential decrees revealed that former prime minister, Rui Duarte de Barros was appointed in his place.
Embalo disbanded Guinea-Bissau’s parliament days after what a purported foiled coup took place on December 1, accusing the government of passivity in response to the conflict.
He then went on to reappoint Martins as the prime minister on December 12.
The presidential decrees did not give a reason for dismissing Martins, a member of the former ruling PAIGC party which now leads the main opposition coalition. However, sources close to the matter have revealed that the prime minister and the president were at conflict.
Guinea-Bissau has continuoy been in political turmoil and has seen several coups since it got its independence from Portugal in 1974.
Police officials had last week, shot tear gas to split the opposition members of parliament who had attempted to congregate in defiance of Embalo’s decision to disestablish the house.
At the time of filing this report, a date for new legislative elections have yet to be set.
