Ex-Guinea Bissau PM Embalo wins presidency; opponent disputes vote

The former prime minister andex-army general Umaro CissokoEmbalohas wonGuinea-Bissau's presidentialvote, the electoral commission said on Wednesday, but hisopponentcomplained of fraud and vowed to contest the result in court.

Embalo, 47, won with 54 per centof Sunday'svote, the commission said, versus 46 per centfor anotherex-prime minister and ruling party candidate Domingos Simoes Pereira in the poll to succeed incumbent President Jose Mario Vaz.

Vaz's tenure was marred by political infighting, an ill-functioning parliament and corruption.

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If Pereira's challenge fails,Embalo, who served as prime minister under Vaz from 2016-18, faces the difficult task of overcoming a long-running political impasse and modernising the West African nation of 1.6 million people.

GuineaBissauhas seen nine coups or attempted coups since independence from Portugal in 1974.

"I call for union, reconciliation and concord for a peaceful life inGuineaBissau,"Embalotold a press conference on Wednesday in which he also promised to revive the education and energy sectors. "We must believe in ourselves and put ourselves to work to create wealth and develop the country."

However, Pereira's complaint looks set toextend the political chaos that has dogged the tiny ocean-side country in recent years and madevoters weary of the political class.

The 56-year-old, who easily won a November first round, told supporters that in some polling stationsvotes surpassed the number of enrolledvoters and he would file a complaint to the Supreme Court.

"There has been an infringement of the electoral truth and the most legitimate rights of the people ofGuineaBissau," he said.

Embalo's candidacy gained support from the main contenders who failed to reach the run-off, including Vaz.

The announcement of his victory sparked celebrations in the capitalBissau, which has remained calm and optimistic during an election many hoped would draw a line under weeks of turmoil including violent protests, an alleged coup attempt and the emergence of two competing prime ministers.

"Wevoted forEmbalofor change," said Kady Gassama, a 38-year-old cleaner. "Wevoted to bring the country out of the economic, political and social crisis."

The next president also faces widespread poverty and an unstable political system in which the majority party appoints the government but the president can dismiss it.

There have been seven prime ministers since Vaz took over in 2014 and instability has hurt the economy, which depends heavily on volatile prices for cashew nuts, the main income source for more than two thirds of households.

Traffickers alsoexploitGuinea-Bissau's unpoliced waters and maze of picturesque forested islands to ship South American cocaine destined for Europe.