The ruling Junta in Mali on Monday, announced the postponement of the country’s presidential election scheduled to hold next year February 2024, citing “technical reasons”.
Government Spokesperson Abdoulaye Maïga in a statement, informed the press in Bamako that the initial dates of the polls – set for February 4 and 18, 2024 – would be “slightly postponed for technical reasons.”
The Malian authorities cited several factors, including dissension with a French firm Idemia, over “a civil registry database”. They also blamed the newly adopted constitution which involves a revision of electoral rolls. According to the authorities, new dates for the election will be announced in due time.
In June 2023, Mali held a referendum on a new constitution, and in spite of kicking against it, those in favour of the change won. The new constitution empowers the President and respects the country’s military.
Following back-to-back military coups between August 2020 and May 2021, Mali was finally set to hold democratic elections next year in February to return civilian leaders to power, before the unexpected turn of events on Monday.