The United Nations (UN) has called on the military junta in Mali to lift its recent ban on political activity in the West African country to allow democracy to thrive.
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter which was sighted by Africa Today News, New York, the UN has said; “We are deeply concerned by the decree suspending the activities of political parties and other civic associations.”
The military authorities, who have ruled since a coup in 2020, have also come under fire for their actions.
It has further inflamed tensions that have been growing since the junta broke its promise to hold presidential elections in February.
Cherif Koné, general co-ordinator of L’Appel du 20 février, said it was “out of the question to let the dictatorship prosper in the country”.
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In its decree, the junta said broadcasts and the publication of political activities were also barred to maintain public order.
In response, influential cleric Mahmoud Dicko issued a video on social media to his supporters from exile vowing to return home.
He initially supported the coup but has since fallen out with the junta for failing to meet various deadlines for a return to civilian rule – leaving Mali for Algeria in December.
A few civil society and opposition groups called for demonstrations on Thursday, but they were banned. They also called for weekend protests.
“The Malian population should unite itself and protest against this decision,” Ismael Sacko, president of the African Democratic Socialist Party (PSDA), told the reporters.
In another report, Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian President, has hammered on the imperative of ECOWAS member countries to consolidating their bonds, fortify alliances, and stand firm against divisive influences.
Addressing the commencement of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, Tinubu, in his capacity as the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, emphasized the vital importance of regional unity in enhancing the resilience and efficacy of the bloc during this pivotal moment.
He stressed that member states cannot stand idly by as the community confronts the looming threat of dissolution.