List of presidents of Guinea-Bissau

This article lists the presidents of Guinea-Bissau, since the establishment of the office of president in 1973.

President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Presidente da República da Guiné-Bissau (Portuguese)
Emblem of Guinea-Bissau
Incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embaló since 27 February 2020
Residence	Presidential Palace, Bissau
Term length	5 years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Luís Cabral
Formation	24 September 1973
Salary	3 million XOF[1] or 12283 Int$ annually
Website	presidencia.gw

Since Guinea-Bissau's unilateral declaration of independence from Portugal on 24 September 1973, there have been six presidents, five acting presidents and three interim military leaders. The current holder of the office is Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who took office on 27 February 2020 after being elected in the 2019 presidential election.

Term limits

As of 2021, there is a two-term limit for the president in the Constitution of Guinea-Bissau. The term limit has not been met by any president yet.^[2]

List of officeholders

Political parties

  African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC)

  Party for Social Renewal (PRS)

  Movement for Democratic Alternation, Group of 15 (Madem G15)

Other factions

  Military

  Independent

Symbols

  Denotes acting president

Symbols

^† Died in office

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Tenure
1		Luís Cabral (1931–2009) Chairman of the Council of State[a]	1976–77	24 September 1973	14 November 1980 (Deposed in a coup)	7 years, 51 days	PAIGC
2		João Bernardo Vieira (1939–2009) Chairman of the Council of the Revolution	—	14 November 1980	14 May 1984	3 years, 182 days	Military / PAIGC
—		Carmen Pereira (1937–2016) Acting president	—	14 May 1984	16 May 1984	2 days	PAIGC
(2)		João Bernardo Vieira (1939–2009) Chairman of the Council of the Revolution	1984 1989 1994	16 May 1984	7 May 1999 (Deposed in a coup)	14 years, 356 days	PAIGC
		President of the Republic from 29 September 1994
—		Brigadier general Ansumane Mané (c. 1940–2000) Chairman of the Supreme Command of the Military Junta	—	7 May 1999	14 May 1999	7 days	Military
—		Malam Bacai Sanhá (1947–2012) Acting president	—	14 May 1999	17 February 2000	279 days	PAIGC
3		Kumba Ialá (1953–2014)	1999–2000	17 February 2000	14 September 2003 (Deposed in a coup)	3 years, 209 days	PRS
—		General Veríssimo Correia Seabra (1947–2004) Chairman of the Military Committee for the Restoration of Constitutional and Democratic Order	—	14 September 2003	28 September 2003	14 days	Military
—		Henrique Rosa (1946–2013) Acting president	—	28 September 2003	1 October 2005	2 years, 3 days	Independent
(2)		João Bernardo Vieira (1939–2009)	2005	1 October 2005	2 March 2009 (Assassinated)	3 years, 152 days	Independent
—		Raimundo Pereira (born 1955) Acting president	—	3 March 2009	8 September 2009	189 days	PAIGC
4		Malam Bacai Sanhá (1947–2012)	2009	8 September 2009	9 January 2012[†]	2 years, 123 days	PAIGC
—		Raimundo Pereira (born 1955) Acting president	—	9 January 2012	12 April 2012 (Deposed in a coup)	94 days	PAIGC
—		Major general Mamadu Ture Kuruma (born 1947) Chairman of the Military Command	—	12 April 2012	11 May 2012	29 days	Military
—		Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo (1958–2020) Acting president	—	11 May 2012	23 June 2014	2 years, 43 days	Independent
5		José Mário Vaz (born 1957)	2014	23 June 2014	27 February 2020	5 years, 249 days	PAIGC
6		Umaro Sissoco Embaló (born 1972)	2019	27 February 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 271 days	Madem G15

Notes

1. In exile in Conakry, Guinea until 19 October 1974.

Timeline

Latest election

Main article: 2019 Guinea-Bissau presidential election

In the first round of voting Domingos Simões Pereira led the field, with 40.13% of the vote. Incumbent president José Mário Vaz finished fourth in the first round of voting, failing to progress to the runoff.^[3] According to the preliminary and final results published by the national commission of elections, Umaro Sissoco Embaló won the runoff vote against Simões Pereira, 54% to 46%.

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Domingos Simões Pereira	African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde	222,870	40.13	254,468	46.45
	Umaro Sissoco Embaló	Madem G15	153,530	27.65	293,359	53.55
	Nuno Gomes Nabiam	Assembly of the People United	73,063	13.16
	José Mário Vaz	Independent	68,933	12.41
	Carlos Gomes Júnior	Independent	14,766	2.66
	Baciro Djá	Patriotic Front of National Salvation [pt]	7,126	1.28
	Vicente Fernandes [pt]	Democratic Convergence Party	4,250	0.77
	Mamadú Iaia Djaló	New Democracy Party	2,813	0.51
	Idrissa Djaló	National Unity Party	2,569	0.46
	Mutaro Intai Djabi	Independent	2,385	0.43
	Gabriel Fernando Indi	United Social Democratic Party	1,982	0.36
	António Afonso Té [pt]	Republican Party for Independence and Development	1,061	0.19
Total			555,348	100.00	547,827	100.00
Valid votes			555,348	98.04	547,827	98.97
Invalid/blank votes			11,125	1.96	5,694	1.03
Total votes			566,473	100.00	553,521	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			761,676	74.37	761,676	72.67
Source: CNE, CNE

See also

• Politics of Guinea-Bissau
• List of captains-major of Bissau
• List of captains-major of Cacheu
• List of governors of Portuguese Guinea
• List of prime ministers of Guinea-Bissau
• Vice President of Guinea-Bissau

References

1. "Pensões vitalícias para políticos e militares causam polémica". VOA (in Portuguese). 20 June 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
2. Cook, Candace; Siegle, Joseph. "Circumvention of Term Limits Weakens Governance in Africa". Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
3. "Guinea Bissau presidential election to be held on November 24". Africanews. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2021.

External links

• World Statesmen – Guinea-Bissau