[4] A long-time member of PAIGC, Sanhá served as governor of the Gabú and Biombo regions and held several cabinet ministries before becoming President of the National People's Assembly in 1994.

[6] Following the ouster of Vieira on 7 May 1999, Sanhá was appointed as acting president by the military junta led by Mane on 11 May.

[7] His appointment to succeed Vieira was intended to be in accordance with the constitution,[1][8] and he was to serve until a new election could be held later in the year.

On that occasion he promised to investigate the March 2009 killings of Army Chief of Staff Batista Tagme Na Waie and President Vieira, and he also vowed to fight crime, drug trafficking, and corruption.

Sanhá spent ten days in Paris and subsequently stayed in the Canary Islands for a time before returning to Bissau on 30 December 2009.

During his stay in Paris, a coup as a result of infighting within the armed forces was put down less than two weeks before his death.

[17][18][19] His office issued a statement that read: The presidency informs Guinea-Bissau and the international community, with pain and dismay, of the death of his excellency Malam Bacai Sanhá this morning at the Val de Grace in Paris where he was undergoing treatment.The government issued a decree that it would observe seven days national mourning during which the flag will be flown at half-mast and all concerts and festivities would not occur.