Mali’s transitional parliament has approved a controversial bill granting junta leader General Assimi Goïta a five-year presidential term, renewable without the need for elections.
This follows recommendations from an April national conference of political stakeholders that proposed appointing Goïta, 41, as president for a five-year term.
The bill allows for the extension of his tenure “as many times as necessary” until the country is deemed “pacified,” a vague clause that critics fear could lead to indefinite military rule.
Mali has been under military rule since August 2020, part of a wave of coups that have swept West and Central Africa in recent years, including in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Abandoned transition plans
Initially, under international pressure, including from the United Nations Security Council, the junta agreed to hand over power to a civilian-led interim government with elections slated for February 2022. However, after a fallout with the interim leadership, the military reversed its stance and abandoned the transition.
With this move, Gen. Goïta could remain in power until at least 2030, sparking fears among critics and civil society groups of increasing political repression and a clampdown on dissent in the West African nation.
On Thursday, Mali’s transitional parliament, the National Transitional Council, formally approved the bill with 131 of 147 members voting in favour.
The approval comes amid rising concerns over political repression. In May, the junta banned all political parties, intensifying a broader crackdown on dissent that has continued since the military seized power.
Source: Business Insider Africa
The Mali Junta has been focused on tackling the enduring insurgency in Mali’s northern and central regions, where jihadist groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda have maintained a stronghold for over a decade.
