OPPONENTS of ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita have led mass protests since June calling on Keita to resign over what they say are his failures to restore security and address corruption. Following are details on the origins of yesterday’s coup.
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Disputed elections
Political tension has been simmering since Keita won re-election in August 2018 in a poll that opposition parties said was marred by irregularities.
The government pushed ahead with a legislative election in March despite the coronavirus outbreak, increasing jihadi attacks and the kidnapping by unidentified gunmen of Mali’s main opposition leader, Soumaila Cisse. He has not been heard of since.
Protesters are angry about a decision by the constitutional court to overturn 31 of the results, handing Keita’s party 10 more par
liamentary seats and making it the largest bloc.
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Islamist violence
Mali has struggled to regain stability since 2012, when ethnic Tuareg rebels and loosely aligned jihadists seized the northern two-thirds of the country, leading former colonial power France to intervene to temporarily beat them back.
Attacks have increased in recent months, as militants seek to extend their reach, stocking ethnic tensions around central Mali.
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Corruption
Keita’s opponents accuse the government of cronyism, pointing to the influence of his son Karim Keita, who stepped down from the powerful
position of chairman of parliament’s defence and security committee in July. The government denies the accusations.
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Economic hardship
Mali’s economy, which depends on gold and cotton, has been hard-hit by the insurgency and Covid-19 pandemic. Striking teachers joined a protest in June to press demands for promised salary increases.
Why are Mali’s neighbours and allies worried?
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Regional stability
Groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have used Mali as a launchpad for attacks in neighbouring countries, including Niger and Burkina Faso.
International powers are also anxious for the crisis to end, fearful it could undermine multi-billion-dollar efforts spearheaded by France to contain the militants.
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Migration
European leaders worry that prolonged instability in Mali could see more people displaced, fuelling another wave of migration to their shores.
