Paris, France - The African Union’s Special Envoy to Guinea Bissau, Ovido M. B. Pequeno, on Thursday urged Guinea Bissau’s interim authorities to fix a date for the general elections, promising that the international community would help the West African nation conduct the polls.
“No dates have been fixed so far for the polls. Rumours have it that the Guinean transitional authorities are having difficulties conducting them. If that is the case, please report those difficulties to us so we can assist,' he said in an interview with PANA.
The Guinea Bissauan caretaker president, Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo, recently said it would be impossible to hold the polls in May as scheduled in the transitional roadmap.
“What is important for us is to agree on a consensual date for the general elections, a date that will be accepted not only by the Guinean political class, but also by the civil society. Afterwards the international community will be informed and they will finance the polls,' the AU envoy pointed out, adding that all Guineans must show good will in their bid to confront the security and development challenges currently facing the West African nation.
PANA recalls that a 12-month transitional government was established in Guinea Bissau following a military coup during the first and the second round of the presidential polls which followed President Malam Bacai Sanha death in Paris.
By Edris Kiggundu and Emma Mutaizibwa, Pana 08/03/2013