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| Africa North |
| Mali junta to hold vote on new constitution |
| 2023-06-16 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Malians go to the polls on Sunday to pass judgment on the governing junta's constitution, which has fuelled speculation that the country's strongman ruler will seek election. The vote is the first organized by the military since it seized power in August 2020 of a country gripped for years by a political, security and economic crisis. Those problems remain largely unresolved, meaning the vote could be disrupted. It is a checkpoint on the road to a return of civilian rule in March 2024, under commitments made by the military itself. But less than nine months before the deadline, Mali has no clarity on the future role of the military, including junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita. Malians will vote on the draft constitution from 0800 GMT on Sunday, with green ballots for the "yes" vote and red for "no". The results are expected within 72 hours. The authorities have invested heavily in the reform. Jihadist groups continue to carry out bloody attacks on civilians and the military It purports to fix the country's current constitution, enacted in 1992 and often blamed for Mali's problems. The large Sahel nation faces jihadist violence, poverty, derelict infrastructure and decaying schools. If approved, the new constitution would strengthen the position of the military, emphasizing "illusory sovereignty", the junta's mantra since coming to power and its subsequent break with the former colonial power La Belle France. |
| Posted by:Fred |