Caetano N'Tchama (23 January 1955 – 15 December 2007) was a Bissau-Guinean politician and former Prime Minister. He held that position from 19 February 2000 to 19 March 2001 and was a member of the Social Renewal Party (PRS).

Early life

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N'Tchama served as Minister of the Interior under Prime Minister Francisco Fadul from 1999 to 2000;[1] in Fadul's national unity government, which was sworn in on February 20, 1999, N'Tchama was one of the members chosen by Ansumane Mane's military junta.[2] Following the election of PRS leader Kumba Ialá as President, N'Tchama, who was the third ranking leader of the PRS and is a cousin of Ialá, was chosen by the PRS as Prime Minister in a party vote on 24 January 2000, with 46 votes in favor and six opposed.[3] In late September and early October 2000, he was in Dakar and then Paris for medical treatment.[4] After Fadul accused N'Tchama of corruption, N'Tchama said in October 2000 that he planned to take legal action against Fadul due to these accusations.[5]

In March 2001, the PRS held discussions on replacing N'Tchama as Prime Minister.[6] Ialá dismissed N'Tchama on March 19, saying that this move was necessary to increase stability and decrease political tension.[7] N'Tchama subsequently became head of the Internal Audit Board before being appointed as Attorney General on September 6, 2001.[8]

He died on December 15, 2007, after a prolonged illness.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Andrea E. Ostheimer, "The Structural Crisis in Guinea-Bissau's Political System" Archived 2009-08-03 at the Wayback Machine, African Security Review, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2001.
  2. ^ "GUINEA-BISSAU: Prime Minister Fadul takes oath of office", IRIN, February 22, 1999.
  3. ^ "New Guinea-Bissau ruling party names prime minister", AFP (nl.newsbank.com), 24 January 2000.
  4. ^ "Guinea-Bissau: Prime minister in France for medical treatment", RDP Africa web site (nl.newsbank.com), October 6, 2000.
  5. ^ "Guinea-Bissau: Opposition leaders say government "corrupt"", RDP Africa web site (nl.newsbank.com), October 19, 2000.
  6. ^ "Guinea-Bissau: Ruling party discusses prime minister's replacement", RDP Africa web site (nl.newsbank.com), March 8, 2001.
  7. ^ "Guinea-Bissau's president dismisses prime minister", Associated Press (nl.newsbank.com), March 19, 2001.
  8. ^ "GUINEA-BISSAU: Attorney General dismissed", IRIN, September 7, 2001.
  9. ^ "Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau"