First Pro-Democracy Protests in Mali in Four Years of Military Rule

Hundreds of activists in Mali defied military threats and took to the streets this week in the first pro-democracy demonstration since the junta-led government took power by force almost four years ago, the Associated Press reported. 

The demonstrators marched in the capital Bamako to protest a new bill introduced by Mali’s transitional government to dissolve political parties in the country.  

On Saturday, activists demonstrated outside the Palais de Culture and chanted against the dictatorship. The police blocked the area to avoid clashes between protesters and pro-military youths who arrived at the venue earlier to stop the rally.  

Authorities later urged demonstrators to leave the scene to prevent such violence from breaking out. 

The weekend demonstrations came days after Mali’s junta issued a decree in the Council of Ministers to repeal the law regulating political party charters.  

That decision followed a national political conference held last week that recommended that junta leader Assimi Goïta, who has been Mali’s interim leader since the coup in 2021, should remain in power for another five years. 

Critics see both developments as part of an effort by Goïta and the army to restrict political liberties. Meanwhile, the conference decision makes Mali the third West African junta-led country in recent times to delay or abandon its promised return to civilian rule. 

Analysts noted that it is too early to say whether the protests will gain momentum but warned they could lead to “real” tensions if authorities do not reassure political parties. The threatened political parties, meanwhile, are calling for new protests later this week, noted Senegal News.