Mali’s military government ordered an indefinite suspension of all political activities nationwide, citing “public order” concerns, according to Africanews.
The decree, signed by transitional leader General Assimi Goïta on 9 May, bars political parties and civil society groups from organising ahead of a planned opposition protest on the same day.
The ban follows a rare show of defiance last weekend, when hundreds of activists rallied in Bamako against a draft law proposing the dissolution of political parties. Protest leader Cheick Oumar Doumbia vowed to resist the edict.
I’m not surprised, I expected this because this is their way of preventing us from carrying out our activities, but we will continue to defend democracy in Mali.
Civil society coalitions and labour unions have demanded a swift return to civilian rule via “inclusive, transparent elections,” a pledge the government has repeatedly deferred since seizing power in coups in 2020 and 2021.
This is the second such suspension in a year. In April 2024, the authorities suspended political operations before unilaterally extending their transitional rule from two to five years in a staged “national dialogue.” Critics argue the latest ban aims to stifle dissent as public frustration grows over economic hardship and delayed polls.
Mali bolstered ties with fellow Sahelian military governments in Burkina Faso and Niger, forming the Alliance of Sahel States after exiting the West African bloc ECOWAS. The alliance members severed ties with former colonial power France and are forging a partnership with Russia instead.
