In a surprising turn of events, the Malian military junta has declared that it will postpone the presidential election that had been scheduled for February next year.
Col Abdoulaye Maiga who is government spokesman, said a new date would be announced and that parliamentary polls would be held separately.
He said the delay was due to ‘technical reasons’ including issues linked to the adoption of a new constitution and a review of the electoral laws.
Following this statement, civil society organisations and the opposition have expressed their dismay.
After military coups in 2020 and 2021, the elections were planned to restore constitutional government in Mali.
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The junta had initially proposed the elections to be held in 2026, then revised it to 2025 and finally moving it to February 2024 after pressure from the West African bloc ECOWAS.
In another report, Zoleka Mandela, the granddaughter of South Africa’s first democratically elected president, the late Nelson Mandela, has tragically passed away at 43 after battling metastatic cancer.
She was admitted to the hospital last Monday for treatment but succumbed to the disease on the eve of her grandmother’s birthday, surrounded by loved ones and friends.
In a heartfelt statement shared on Instagram, a family spokesperson confirmed her passing on Monday evening.
Zoleka had gained recognition in recent years for bravely sharing her journey through cancer treatment and openly discussing her struggles with drug addiction, depression, and childhood sexual abuse. She penned her remarkable story in an autobiography titled ‘When Hope Whispers.’
More than a decade ago, Zoleka faced a breast cancer diagnosis, underwent treatment, and achieved remission. Unfortunately, the cancer returned, affecting her liver and lungs last year before spreading to other organs. She remained optimistic, even while dealing with blood clots and fibrosis in her lungs, expressing gratitude for continued treatment options just days before her passing.