Guinea-Bissau’s military junta leader, General Horta N’tam, has dismissed a senior military officer who served as an adviser to ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, according to a decree seen by AFP on Wednesday.
Lieutenant-General Sadji Fati, a former defence minister and military adviser under Embaló, headed the presidential civil office at the palace before his removal.
The decree stated that Fati had been “dismissed with immediate effect”.
His removal is the latest in a series of changes affecting personnel in the defence and security forces since Embaló was overthrown and went into exile in Morocco.
The military seized power on November 26, a day before provisional results of the country’s presidential and legislative elections were scheduled to be announced.
Following the takeover, the junta suspended the electoral process, prompting speculation among observers that Embaló might have orchestrated the coup to prevent the announcement of results from an election he appeared likely to lose.
Since taking power, however, the military authorities have introduced measures suggesting a growing distance from the former president and his allies.
Several members of Embaló’s presidential guard and officers considered close to him have been removed from influential positions.
The junta recently dismissed Interior Minister General Mama Saliu Embaló and Fisheries Minister Maria Da Cruz Correia, both regarded as allies of the former president.
The military authorities are expected to organise fresh presidential and legislative elections on December 6 as part of efforts to restore civilian rule.
However, the National Electoral Commission said last week that the “conditions are not in place to hold” the elections, raising fresh uncertainty over the country’s political transition.
Before the commission’s announcement, Embaló had told AFP that he intended to contest the presidency again.
