Mali junta shifts February presidential election, cites ‘technical reasons’

The ruling military junta in Mali has postponed the country’s presidential election scheduled for February 2024.

Abdoulaye Maiga, spokesperson of the junta, made the announcement on Monday.

Maiga said the dates initially scheduled for the two rounds of voting, February 4 and 18, 2024, were postponed owing to “technical reasons”.

“The new dates for the presidential election will be communicated later,” he added.

He also cited factors linked to the adoption of a new constitution earlier this year which would strengthen the president’s powers, the revision of electoral rolls, and a dispute with Idemia, a French company, said to be involved in the census process.

The postponement is yet another delay in the junta’s schedule for transiting to democratic rule after carrying out two military coups in August 2020 and May 2021.

A constitutional referendum planned for February 2023 was not held until June, while local elections planned for June have still not taken place.

The soldiers had earlier promised legislative elections for February 2022 but at the end of 2021, Assimi Goita, the junta leader, said they were unable to follow through with the timetable agreed with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

According to Goita, more time was needed to carry out “deep reforms”.