Protests continued in the capital
BAMAKO, July 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The prime minister of Mali has promised to form an inclusive government “very quickly” after thousands of protesters called on the president to step down.
Four people died in Friday’s protest in the capital Bamako, authorities say.
Several leaders of the protest movement have been arrested.
There are growing calls for President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita to resign due to Mali’s long-running jihadist conflict, an economic crisis and disputed parliamentary elections.
A new opposition coalition led by the conservative Imam, Mahmoud Dicko, is insisting on further reforms after rejecting concessions from the Malian president.
Prime Minister Boubou Cissé said he and the president were open to talks and promised to form an inclusive government “very quickly”.
“I will put in place a government with the aim of being open to address the challenges of the moment,” he told Radio France International.
But this came as the opposition coalition said security forces detained two of the protest leaders, Choguel Kokala Maïga and Mountaga Tall. Another protest leader, Issa Kaou Djim, was arrested on Friday.
In addition, security forces “came and attacked and ransacked our headquarters,” opposition coalition spokesman Nouhoum Togo said.
Protests started after the opposition coalition rejected concessions from President Keita designed to end a political stand-off over a disputed legislative election in March.
The opposition this week said the movement had dropped its demand for President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita to step down. But it still called this protest because it wants more reforms.
President Keita secured a second five-year term in 2018 but he has faced increased opposition over a rise in jihadist violence and an economic crisis.
Malians hope this instability does not play into the hands of the jihadists who are behind the escalating violence in the north and centre of the country. — NNN-AGENCIES
