Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau) – Guinea-Bissau’s Interior Ministry has appealed for calm after reports of unusual movements among defense and security personnel in Bissau sparked speculation of growing discontent within the presidential guard.
The ministry on Tuesday sought to reassure the public that the country remained calm and that there was no immediate threat to national stability or the functioning of state institutions.
Speaking at a press conference, ministry spokesperson Agostinho Tonecas Djatá dismissed suggestions of an alarming security situation, saying the movements observed across the capital were linked to routine personnel assignments within the defence and security forces.
“There is no situation alarming enough to create panic in Bissau,” Djatá said, urging citizens to “go about their normal activities” and rely on information released through official channels.
Reports of Discontent
The reassurance came after reports circulated on social media alleging discontent among elements of the presidential guard.
According to those reports, several members of the guard, including officers, had been reassigned to other military units and had objected to the move. Some were reportedly disarmed and placed under control at the headquarters of the armed forces.
The Interior Ministry did not confirm those specific reports.
Instead, Djatá said personnel movements were part of the normal administrative functioning of the armed forces, police, and National Guard.
“In any branch of the defence and security forces, personnel mobility is normal,” he said, insisting that nothing had occurred that could disrupt public order or the wellbeing of the population.
He also sought to underline the authorities’ confidence in the situation by encouraging citizens to attend activities planned for Tuesday, including a national football match at the 24 de Setembro National Stadium.
“The country is calm, and citizens can go to the 24 de Setembro National Stadium to support the Djurtus,” he said.
Embaló’s Return Adds Political Tension
The reports come at a particularly sensitive moment for Guinea-Bissau, just a day after former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló announced that he would return to the country and seek the presidency in the December 6 election.
Embaló was overthrown by the military on November 26, 2025, shortly before provisional results from presidential and legislative elections were expected to be announced. The military authorities subsequently suspended the electoral process and assumed control of the country.
His announcement that he intends to return as a presidential candidate has therefore introduced a new element into an already uncertain political transition.
The reported tensions surrounding the presidential guard, whether routine military reassignment or a sign of internal discontent, are likely to attract particular attention because of the military’s continuing role in the country’s political transition and Embaló’s declared intention to return.
At the time of his removal, Embaló faced allegations from some observers that he had engineered the coup to halt an electoral process in which he appeared to be facing a difficult contest. He has not accepted that interpretation.
For now, however, the authorities are presenting Tuesday’s movements as routine military administration rather than a political or security crisis while urging the population to remain calm.
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