Mali coup leader granted five-year term in power
The junta leader, who has seized power twice, had promised the return of democracy last year, but it never materialised.
The bill granting his new mandate said the transition would last "as many times as necessary" and until Mali was "pacified".
It clears Gen Goïta to lead the West African country until at least 2030, with many fearing the move could lead to the repression of the opposition or dissenting opinions.
The 41-year-old military leader was named transitional president after his last coup in 2021.
At the time he promised to hold elections the following year - but has since reneged, in a blow to efforts to restore multi-party rule.
The transitional bill was on Thursday unanimously approved by 131 members of the National Transitional Council, which is composed of 147 legislators.
The council had already adopted the measure in April.
The president of the legislative body, Malick Diaw, called the development "a major step forward in the rebuilding of Mali".
"The adoption of this text is in accordance with the popular will," he said.
The bill allows the transitional president, government and legislative members to stand in presidential and general elections.
The military government has been trying to quell jihadist violence unleashed by groups linked with the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda.
Since taking power, the junta leader has formed an alliance with coup leaders in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, pivoting the region towards Russia after cutting ties with former colonial power France.
Gen Goïta has also withdrawn Mali from the regional grouping Ecowas over its demands to restore democratic rule. Burkina Faso and Niger have also left the grouping.
He first staged a coup in August 2020 overthrowing then-President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta after huge anti-government protests against his rule and his handling of the jihadist insurgency.
However, these attacks have continued and even intensified since he took power.
Gen Goïta handed power to an interim government that was to oversee the transition to elections within 18 months.
He had sought to lead that government, but Ecowas insisted on a civilian leader.
Unhappy with the performance of the civilian transitional arrangement, he seized power again in May 2021.
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San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Violent protests are latest sign of Kenyan president's unpopularity 3 years into his term
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyans disaffected with President William Ruto hold placards proclaiming 'WANTAM,' a sensational slogan distilling their efforts to disgrace him as a 'one-term' leader. They stick their index fingers in the air, saying Ruto must vacate the presidency when his term expires in 2027. For others who want him gone only three years after he was elected, even that's a long time. Kenya's fifth president became a remarkably unpopular leader barely two years into his presidency after proposing aggressive tax measures that many saw as a betrayal of his campaign promise to support working-class people. Ruto said new taxes were necessary to keep the government running. Protests intensify Ruto survived the tax-protest movement last year as thousands of young people took to the streets in an unsuccessful attempt to force his resignation. In the most violent incident that left at least 22 people dead, protesters sacked and attempted to burn the parliamentary building in the capital, Nairobi. Ruto said that would never happen again. Ruto now faces a new wave of protests provoked most recently by the death of a blogger in police custody. Many Kenyans saw the incident as symptomatic of bad rule in Kenya, with the president firmly in control of the legislature and security apparatus. 'He has control of the institutions, but he doesn't have control of the people,' said Karuti Kanyinga, an analyst and professor of development studies at the University of Nairobi. He noted Ruto suffers such 'a low level of public confidence' that he is probably the most hated man in Kenya. Ruto likely will stay in power until 2027, but 'violence will continue to deepen' as young people, opposition politicians and others try to make an example of him in an escalating campaign to reform Kenya's government, Kanyinga warned. 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After thousands of people marched in Nairobi last week to mark the anniversary of the previous year's anti-tax protests, Ruto said he was not going anywhere, warning if there was no Kenya for him, that also would be the case for others. 'If we go this route, we will not have a country,' he said of the protest movement. 'Yes, and the country does not belong to William Ruto. The country belongs to all of us. And if there's no country for William Ruto, there's no country for you.' The speech was characteristic of Ruto and underscored why many Kenyans are afraid of him even as they try to challenge him. Kipchumba Murkomen, Ruto's interior minister, has also spoken forcefully against protesters, saying they will be dealt with harshly. A history of political maneuvering Years ago, as Kenya's deputy president, Ruto outmaneuvered his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, in a bad-tempered power struggle that the president lost. Photos sometimes showed Ruto glowering over Kenyatta. The local press reported an incident when Ruto was so angry with his boss that he felt he wanted to slap him. The two embodied a close, almost brotherly relationship in their first term but quickly fell out at the beginning of their second when Kenyatta tried to dismantle Ruto's sway over the official bureaucracy. Ruto won the 2022 presidential election by a narrow margin, defeating opposition leader Raila Odinga, who had Kenyatta's backing. Ruto has since co-opted Odinga, drawing him close as a political ally but also eliminating a potential rival in the next election. Ruto fell out with his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, within the first two years of the presidency. In October, legislators with the ruling party impeached Gachagua in a parliamentary process Ruto said he had nothing to do with. Gachagua insisted lawmakers were acting at Ruto's instigation. 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Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Violent protests are latest sign of Kenyan president's unpopularity 3 years into his term
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyans disaffected with President William Ruto hold placards proclaiming 'WANTAM,' a sensational slogan distilling their efforts to disgrace him as a 'one-term' leader. They stick their index fingers in the air, saying Ruto must vacate the presidency when his term expires in 2027. For others who want him gone only three years after he was elected , even that's a long time. Kenya's fifth president became a remarkably unpopular leader barely two years into his presidency after proposing aggressive tax measures that many saw as a betrayal of his campaign promise to support working-class people. Ruto said new taxes were necessary to keep the government running. Protests intensify Ruto survived the tax-protest movement last year as thousands of young people took to the streets in an unsuccessful attempt to force his resignation. In the most violent incident that left at least 22 people dead, protesters sacked and attempted to burn the parliamentary building in the capital, Nairobi. Ruto said that would never happen again. Ruto now faces a new wave of protests provoked most recently by the death of a blogger in police custody . Many Kenyans saw the incident as symptomatic of bad rule in Kenya, with the president firmly in control of the legislature and security apparatus. 'He has control of the institutions, but he doesn't have control of the people,' said Karuti Kanyinga, an analyst and professor of development studies at the University of Nairobi. He noted Ruto suffers such 'a low level of public confidence' that he is probably the most hated man in Kenya. Ruto likely will stay in power until 2027, but 'violence will continue to deepen' as young people, opposition politicians and others try to make an example of him in an escalating campaign to reform Kenya's government, Kanyinga warned. Public discontent Protesters say they want to rid the government of corruption, marked by theft of public resources and the seemingly extravagant lifestyles of politicians. Some disparage Ruto as 'Zakayo,' referring to the biblical tax collector Zacchaeus, and others call him 'mwizi,' Kiswahili for thief. The demonstrators also are inflamed by what they see as incessant deal-making under Ruto, who last year was forced to terminate an agreement worth an estimated $2 billion that would have seen Kenya's main airport controlled by the Indian conglomerate Adani Group. That deal, which became public months after security forces violently quelled anti-tax protests, reignited public discontent and reinforced a view of Ruto as unrepentant and unwilling to listen to his people. To a degree rare for an African leader, Ruto constantly speaks about efforts to expand the tax base. His negotiations for new debt with the International Monetary Fund have drawn criticism from those who say proposed reforms will hurt poor people while benefitting politicians and the business class. Last year, he told Harvard Business School's Class of 2025 that he wasn't going to preside over 'a bankrupt country.' Protesters are 'not feeling heard and there's a sense that things have not really changed since the protests last year,' said Meron Elias, an analyst in Kenya with the International Crisis Group. 'There's a lot of grief and bitterness from last year's protest that is also feeding into current tensions.' Peter Kairu, a 21-year-old student, agreed, saying he didn't expect the government to address issues of corruption and nepotism raised by the protesters. 'Until we ourselves become the change we want,' he said. Eileen Muga, who is unemployed in Nairobi, expressed safety concerns about disappearing 'the moment you say something about the government.' After thousands of people marched in Nairobi last week to mark the anniversary of the previous year's anti-tax protests, Ruto said he was not going anywhere, warning if there was no Kenya for him, that also would be the case for others. 'If we go this route, we will not have a country,' he said of the protest movement. 'Yes, and the country does not belong to William Ruto. The country belongs to all of us. And if there's no country for William Ruto, there's no country for you.' The speech was characteristic of Ruto and underscored why many Kenyans are afraid of him even as they try to challenge him. Kipchumba Murkomen, Ruto's interior minister, has also spoken forcefully against protesters, saying they will be dealt with harshly. A history of political maneuvering Years ago, as Kenya's deputy president, Ruto outmaneuvered his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta , in a bad-tempered power struggle that the president lost. Photos sometimes showed Ruto glowering over Kenyatta. The local press reported an incident when Ruto was so angry with his boss that he felt he wanted to slap him. The two embodied a close, almost brotherly relationship in their first term but quickly fell out at the beginning of their second when Kenyatta tried to dismantle Ruto's sway over the official bureaucracy. Ruto won the 2022 presidential election by a narrow margin, defeating opposition leader Raila Odinga, who had Kenyatta's backing. Ruto has since co-opted Odinga, drawing him close as a political ally but also eliminating a potential rival in the next election. Ruto fell out with his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, within the first two years of the presidency. In October, legislators with the ruling party impeached Gachagua in a parliamentary process Ruto said he had nothing to do with. Gachagua insisted lawmakers were acting at Ruto's instigation. Ruto did to Gachagua what Kenyatta chose not to do to Ruto, and some saw Gachagua's removal as yet another sign that Ruto is intolerant and can't be trusted, political analyst Macharia Munene said. When he ran for president, Ruto positioned himself as an outsider and rallied for electoral support as the leader of a so-called 'hustler nation,' a campaign that he said would economically empower ordinary Kenyans. The strategy appealed to millions struggling with joblessness and inequality. Informal traders, passenger motorcyclists and market women were often among his supporters. Ruto also aligned himself with the evangelical Christian movement, often seen carrying a Bible and preaching at pulpits. After taking office, Ruto spoke of an urgent need to make Kenya's debt sustainable. The tax hikes in a controversial finance bill came months later. He also removed the fuel subsidies that many Kenyans had come to take for granted. 'I think it's a question of overpromising and underdelivering,' said attorney Eric Nakhurenya, a government policy analyst. 'That's why Kenyans are angry.' ___ Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mali military chief granted renewable five-year presidential term
Mali's military authorities have granted coup leader Assimi Goita a five-year presidential mandate, renewable 'as many times as necessary' and without requiring an election. The country's transitional parliament approved the move on Thursday, clearing the way for Goita to lead Mali until at least 2030. 'This is a major step forward in the rebuilding of Mali,' Malick Diaw, president of the National Transitional Council (NTC), told the AFP news agency after the bill was voted on. 'The adoption of this text is in accordance with the popular will.' However, critics say this is the latest in a series of restrictions on freedom imposed by Mali's military leadership to consolidate its power in the country. Goita came to power after staging two coups in Mali, first in 2020 and then in 2021. Initially, the military government pledged to return to civilian rule in March 2024. The bill on Thursday was unanimously backed by the 131 members present in the NTC, according to AFP and Mali's state-run L'Essor website. The NTC, composed of 147 legislators, had already adopted the measure in April, while the Council of Ministers adopted it last month. It now only requires the approval of Goita himself. The transition is fixed at five years, renewable 'as many times as necessary, until the pacification of the country, from the promulgation of this charter', reported AFP, quoting the bill. Previous bans have also been lifted, allowing the transitional president, government and legislative members to stand in presidential and general elections, the text says. Critics have raised concerns about the revised transition charter, as all references to political parties have been removed, questioning the government's political neutrality. In May, the military government announced the dissolution of all political parties and organisations, as well as a ban on meetings. The continuing squeeze on Mali's civic space comes against a backdrop of a clamour by authorities for the country to unite behind the Goita was officially sworn in as transitional president in June 2021, he insisted on Mali's commitment to fighting against 'jihadist' violence, and initially pledged a return to civilian rule. But the military ultimately reneged on its promise to cede power to elected civilians by its self-imposed deadline. Since 2012, Mali has been mired in violence carried out by armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL, as well as criminal organisations. Attacks have intensified in recent weeks. However, the Malian army and its Russian mercenary allies from the Africa Corps, tasked with tracking down armed fighters, are regularly accused of their own rights violations against civilians. Mali and its military-led neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger have teamed up to create their own confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), and announced the creation of a joint 5,000-strong force for joint military operations. All three Sahelian countries have turned their backs on their shared former coloniser, France, in favour of stronger ties with Russia and other partners. Goita has also withdrawn Mali from the regional group, ECOWAS, over its demands that Mali restore democratic rule, and Burkina Faso and Niger have followed suit. The coup that brought Goita to power overthrew then-President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after huge antigovernment protests against his rule and handling of the armed rebellion. However, armed attacks have continued and even intensified since he took power.
