16-07-2025
Mali military leader extend presidential rule, remove term limit... Who else fit follow?
Despite im promise to return democracy to im country, Mali military leader, General Assimi Goita, don secure five-year presidential term from di transitional parliament and e no need to hold elections.
Di parliament approve di new bill last week, and di bill tok say 41-year-old General Goita fit renew im mandate "as many times as necessary" and until Mali dey "pacified".
Dis don clear di general to lead di West African kontri until at least 2030.
Mali na one of di six kontris for di Sahel region – Mali, Chad, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger and Sudan - wey don all experience coups since 2020.
Sabi pipo say oda kontris wey bin get coups like Mali fit follow dia example now and suspend presidential elections.
Restoring democratic rule?
General Goita bin come to power in 2020 afta e comot former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita for coup.
Less dan one year later, di general launch second coup to remove two civilians who been dey appointed sake of international pressure to bring Mali bak to democratic rule.
General Goita den push UN forces comot from im kontri and cut ties wit dia former colonial power France.
Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, who bin also experience military-led coups for 2022 and 2023 respectively, follow Mali example to stop dia relationship wit France and make friends wit Russia.
Di three kontris later withdraw dia membership from di Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), to avoid pressure to restore democratic rule.
General Goita now na di leader of di Alliance of the Sahel States (AES) wey Mali, Burkino Faso and Niger form new.
As e don show say e sabi how to do political manoeuvring, sabi pipo say Goita dey chart course for Burkina Faso military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, and di one for Niger General Abdourahmane Tchiane.
"Wit dia effective use of misinformation and propaganda especially tru social media, dem don dey warm dia way into di hearts of pipo, especially di youths even for outside dia kontris," Kabiru Adamu, security expert and Executive Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence, tok about di three leaders.
Adamu say Mali na di symbol of di complex social and political issues wey dey drive insecurity for di Sahel region, including attacks by armed Islamic groups, communal violence, human rights concerns and economic challenges.
E say di military-led govment for Mali capital Bamako so far don fail to achieve any of dia stated objectives around national security, institutional reform and return to democratic rule.
Instead, e dey use populism and a dislike of French control to stay in power.
"But dis no go last," Adamu warn.
"Crisis dey shele for Mali and e go get ogbonge consequences for di region," e tok.
Opposition crackdown
Since e enta power, General Goita don dey look for help from Russia to quench di jihadist violence by groups wey get link with di Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda.
For im continued crackdown on dissent, di military junta don also banned evri political party for Mali.
Since e introduce di ban in May, e don put two opposition leaders for detention afta a rare pro-democracy protest.
Paul Ejime, global affairs analyst and publisher of say dem dey suppress di media for Mali and dia neighbouring kontris.
E say afta Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger bin withdraw from ECOWAS, e dey clear say di three kontris want to dey operate witout pressure to return to civilian rule.
"From wetin dey happen for Mali, e show say di military govment na opportunist power grabbers," e tok.
"You can see di massive ongoing repression."
However, Ejime say although di junta dey currently ride di wave of anti-French sentiment, opposition to dia rule dey increase.
International affairs expert and media consultant, Ilyasu Gadu, describe wetin dey happen for Mali as "worrying and disturbing development".
"Di fear be say e go dey contagious and e go spread to di oda neighbours," e tok.
"If you check out di political developments for all di three kontris, na always di same.
"Dem bin come like say dem be messiah, claiming say dem wan to restore order, preying on di ill-feelings of di pipo against dia democratic goment and promising wetin dem no fit fulfil, just to get into power."
