Kumba Ialá

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Kumba Ialá was President of Guinea-Bissau from 2000 to 2003.

Kumba Ialá (also spelled Yala) (born 15 March 1953) is a Guinea-Bissau politician and former President. He held that post from 17 February 2000 until he was deposed in a military coup on 14 September 2003. He is a Roman Catholic and belongs to the Balanta ethnic group. Unlike most Guinea-Bissauan Catholics, he doesn't have a Portuguese name.

1 Early life
2 Political career
3 The Ialá Presidency
4 2003 Coup
5 2005 Presidential Election
6 References

[edit] Early life

Born to a farming family in Bula, Cacheu Region on 15 March 1953, Ialá became a militant member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) during his teenage years. The PAIGC sought independence from Portuguese colonial rule.^[1]

He studied theology at the Catholic University in Lisbon, Portugal and later studied philosophy. In Bissau, Ialá studied law. He speaks Portuguese, Crioulo, Spanish, French and English and can read Latin, Greek and Hebrew. After completing his education, he worked as a philosophy teacher.^[1]

[edit] Political career

Ialá was the head of a PAIGC delegation to Moscow in honor of the 70th anniversary of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution,^[1] but in 1989 he was expelled from the party for demanding greater democratic reform.^[2]

In March 1991, alongside Rafael Barbosa, Ialá helped found the Democratic Social Front (FDS). On 14 January 1992, Ialá left the FDS and formed the Social Renewal Party (PRS).^[1]

The first multiparty presidential election took place on 3 July 1994. Incumbent president and PAIGC candidate João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira won 46.20% of the vote. Ialá finished second, capturing 21.88% of the vote. Since no candidate won the required 50% of the vote for an outright victory, a run-off was conducted on 7 August. Vieira defeated Ialá by a four-percent margin (52.02% to 47.98%).^[3] Although the election was declared generally free and fair by election observers, Ialá contested the results, claiming intimidation of his supporters. The Supreme Court rejected his claims and the results were validated. On 20 August, he accepted the results, but announced that the PRS would not participate in the new government.

On 28 November 1999, after a devastating Civil War and the ouster of João Vieira, new presidential elections were held. Kumba Ialá placed first with 38.81% of the vote followed by interim president and PAIGC candidate, Malam Bacai Sanhá, who won 23.37%. The run-off held on 16 January 2000 was easily won by Ialá who won 72% of the vote.^[3] He was sworn-in as President of Guinea-Bissau on 17 February.^[4]

[edit] The Ialá Presidency

Kumba Ialá's tenure as the country's head of state was characterized by sackings of ministers and other high officials, and poor financial management that led the World Bank/IMF to suspend aid. Ialá's relationship with General Ansumane Mané, the leader of the rebellion that had toppled Vieira in the 1998–99 civil war, was difficult. Ialá attempted to promote a number of military officers in November 2000, but Mané said that Ialá's list of promotions was not the one Ialá had previously agreed to with Mané. Mané announced that he was taking control of the armed forces, revoking Ialá's promotions and replacing the chief of staff, Veríssimo Correia Seabra. An outbreak of fighting followed,^[5] and Mané was killed in a clash with government forces a week later, on November 30.^[6]

Ialá did not veto or promulgate the draft constitution approved by the National Assembly in 2001, instead sending it back to parliament with recommendations for increased presidential powers.^[7] Ialá's government claimed to have foiled a coup plot in early December 2001, although the opposition questioned its existence.^[8] In June 2002, he accused The Gambia of fomenting rebellion in Guinea-Bissau, a charge which the Gambian foreign ministry denied; Ialá even threatened an invasion of The Gambia.^[9] He also began imprisoning domestic opposition activists that he accused of plotting against his government. Ialá dissolved parliament in November 2002, appointed Mário Pires as caretaker prime minister, and called early elections for February 2003.^[10]^[11] These elections were repeatedly postponed, however: first to April, then to July, then to October.^[12] Some suspected that Ialá sought to manipulate the law to ensure that he would remain in power.^[1]

[edit] 2003 Coup

On 12 September 2003, the electoral commission announced that it would not be able to finish voter registration in time to hold parliamentary elections as planned on 12 October.^[12] This together with a stagnant economy, political instability, and military discontent over unpaid salaries triggered a bloodless coup on 14 September. Ialá was detained and placed under house arrest. General Veríssimo Correia Seabra, leader of the coup, referred to the "incapacity" of Ialá's government as justification for the takeover.^[12]^[13] Ialá publicly announced his resignation on September 17,^[13] and a political agreement signed that month prohibited him from participating in politics for five years. A civilian-led transitional government led by businessman Henrique Rosa and PRS secretary general Artur Sanhá was set up at the end of September.^[14]^[15]

On March 8, 2004, ahead of legislative elections, Ialá was released from house arrest. He announced that he would be participating in the PRS election campaign, despite the prohibition against his political activity.^[16] In the election, held on March 28, the PRS won 35 out of 100 seats, making it the second largest party in the National People's Assembly, after the PAIGC.^[17]

[edit] 2005 Presidential Election

In March 2005, he was chosen as the PRS candidate for the June 19 presidential election, despite being officially banned from politics for five years.^[18] The Supreme Court cleared him to stand in the election in May 2005, and soon afterwards, on May 15, Ialá said that he was withdrawing his resignation as president and would resume his office to serve out the remainder of his term.^[19] Although this increased the country's political tension, the declaration did not appear to lead to much immediate consequence; a rally of some of Ialá's supporters was held two days later and was dispersed by police with tear gas.^[20]

In late May, he occupied the presidential palace with a group of armed men for about four hours before leaving, according to an announcement by the army.^[21] According to official results he came in third in the June 19 election with 25% of the vote, behind Malam Bacai Sanhá and Nino Vieira, and thus could not participate in the second round run-off. Ialá said that he actually came in first, with about 38% of the vote, and that the result was a fraud;^[22] however, he later said that he accepted the result in the interest of peace and democracy, while still claiming to have actually won. At least four people were reported killed when Ialá's supporters clashed with police after the results were announced.^[23]

In early July, Ialá announced his support for Vieira's candidacy in the run-off,^[24] which took place on July 24 and resulted in Vieira's victory.^[3]

On October 27, 2006, Ialá returned to Guinea-Bissau after a year of voluntary exile in Morocco. On November 12 he was re-elected as head of the PRS with about 70% of the vote, although his re-election was disputed by opponents within the PRS.^[25] He denounced the government of prime minister Aristides Gomes as "illegitimate and illegal" and said that it should be dissolved and early parliamentary elections should be held.^[26]