London Protest Demands End to Guinea-Bissau Dictatorship
Protesters gathered at the Senegalese embassy in London on Wednesday to deliver a scathing manifesto, demanding an end to “serious and fair mediation” failures in Guinea-Bissau. The demonstration, led by the United Front and the International Solidarity Network with Guinea-Bissau, calls for an urgent return to democracy in the West African nation.
ECOWAS Under Fire
The manifesto levels harsh criticism at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing the regional bloc of enabling the “consolidation of a dictatorship led by a coup-mongering Military Command.” The activists specifically questioned the decision to appoint Senegal as the lead mediator—a move finalized during the ECOWAS summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, last July.
In the document, obtained by Lusa news agency, the organizations expressed “energetic indignation” over what they describe as Senegal’s inaction. They are calling for immediate intervention to restore constitutional order and dismantle the current military-backed regime.
Demands for Reform and Sanctions
The coalition has outlined several non-negotiable demands for the Bissau-Guinean government, including:
- The immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
- The reopening of political party headquarters.
- The lifting of all restrictions on the press, civil society organizations, and political parties.
The activists warned that if obstacles to democratic normalcy persist, ECOWAS must impose “severe individual sanctions” against those responsible for the constitutional breakdown.
A Growing Global Movement
The “Manifesto to the Senegalese Mediation of ECOWAS for Guinea-Bissau” is backed by a broad international coalition. This includes the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), the Socialist Movement of Ghana, and several other pan-African and anti-imperialist organizations.
This London protest serves as a precursor to a coordinated “Day of Action” scheduled for Saturday. Pro-democracy demonstrations are expected to take place in major cities worldwide, including Dakar, Praia, Lisbon, Baltimore, and Luxembourg.
A Nation in Limbo
Guinea-Bissau has been gripped by political instability since a military coup on November 26, 2025. The takeover occurred just one day before the scheduled release of election results, effectively ousting then-President-elect Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
Since the coup, a new Constitution has been approved that grants the head of state sweeping powers. While the military initially scheduled fresh elections for December 6, the opposition has dismissed the move as a “staged maneuver” to allow Sissoco Embaló to regain power. Those elections have since been postponed indefinitely, leaving the country’s democratic future in a state of uncertainty.
Image: Pexels – Tom Whyte
