Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Keita re-elected Mali president with landslide

-

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected for a five-year term after winning 67.17 percent of the vote in a runoff, the government announced on Thursday.

Opposition challenger and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, who also ran against Keita in 2013, won 32.83 percent on Sunday, Local Government Minister Mohamed Ag Erlaf said on national television, giving provisional figures.

Turnout was low, at 34.5%.

Violence, low public enthusiasm and accusations of fraud marred the vote. Cisse, 68, on Monday said he would reject the results.

Keita, 73, will take office on September 4, with hopes he can strengthen a 2015 peace accord between the government, government-allied groups and former Tuareg rebels.

Mali, a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where the majority of people live on less than $2 (1.76 euros) a day, has battled jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence for years.

Islamist attacks have spread from the north to the centre and south of the vast country and spilled into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, often inflaming communal conflicts.

On Wednesday, the opposition claimed a technician working for Cisse was tortured while detained by security forces for three days.

Internet access was cut on mobile networks in Bamako on Thursday morning ahead of the announcement, AFP journalists witnessed.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected for a five-year term after winning 67.17 percent of the vote in a runoff, the government announced on Thursday.

Opposition challenger and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, who also ran against Keita in 2013, won 32.83 percent on Sunday, Local Government Minister Mohamed Ag Erlaf said on national television, giving provisional figures.

Turnout was low, at 34.5%.

Violence, low public enthusiasm and accusations of fraud marred the vote. Cisse, 68, on Monday said he would reject the results.

Keita, 73, will take office on September 4, with hopes he can strengthen a 2015 peace accord between the government, government-allied groups and former Tuareg rebels.

Mali, a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where the majority of people live on less than $2 (1.76 euros) a day, has battled jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence for years.

Islamist attacks have spread from the north to the centre and south of the vast country and spilled into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, often inflaming communal conflicts.

On Wednesday, the opposition claimed a technician working for Cisse was tortured while detained by security forces for three days.

Internet access was cut on mobile networks in Bamako on Thursday morning ahead of the announcement, AFP journalists witnessed.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

World

The world's biggest economy grew 1.6 percent in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said.

Business

Electric cars from BYD, which topped Tesla as the world's top seller of EVs in last year's fourth quarter, await export at a Chinese...

Business

Turkey's central bank holds its key interest rate steady at 50 percent - Copyright AFP MARCO BERTORELLOFulya OZERKANTurkey’s central bank held its key interest...

World

NGOs allege the loan is financing the Suralaya coal plant, which is being expanded to ten units - Copyright AFP/File BAY ISMOYOGreen NGOs have...