Mali’s military government has issued a decree suspending political party activities, government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga said in a statement read on state television Wednesday night.
“In the interest of public order and morals, the activities of political parties and organizations of a political nature will be suspended throughout the country until further notice,” Maiga said, citing a decree by military junta leader Colonel Asimi Goita. .
Maiga justified the suspension of party activities due to “fruitless discussions” during an attempt at national dialogue earlier this year. Opposition voices have been largely suppressed under military rule.
Opposition parties are calling for elections
Goita’s decree came after more than 80 political parties and civil society organizations issued a joint statement calling for presidential elections to be held “as soon as possible” on April 1 and for an end to military rule.
“We will use all legal and legitimate means to restore constitutional order to our country,” the two groups said in a joint statement with signatories from more than 20 countries, including the main opposition coalition and the former president’s collapsed political party. said.
The United Nations announced last month that at least four groups have been disbanded in Mali since December 2023, including groups related to good governance, elections and opposition groups.
military government in mali
Mali has been under military rule since August 2020, the first of eight coups in four years in West and Central Africa, including neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Mali’s current military government seized power in a second coup in 2021 and has since promised to restore civilian rule by March 26, following elections that had been scheduled for February.
But the junta announced in September last year that the February elections would be postponed indefinitely due to technical reasons, sparking anger among political groups.
dh/sms (AFP, Reuters)
