Mali’s vice president deposes detained president, premier

Modupe Shodeinde

Malian Vice President, Assimi Goita on Tuesday announced that interim President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane have been deposed after they were arrested on May 24.

Goita, the former leader of a military coup in August 2020, also promised new elections in 2022, while speaking to radio broadcaster ORTM.

N’Daw and Ouane were arrested late on Monday, shortly after issuing a decree appointing a new Cabinet.

They were taken to a military camp in Kati, about 15 kilometres north-west of the capital, Bamako.

The international community, including the U.S, Germany and France strongly condemned the detention and called for their release.

The military had filled key posts in the new Cabinet announced on Monday.

However, two senior military officers from the military junta that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August were excluded.

The new government was supposed to strike a balance between the interests of the army and of civil society, reform the constitution and hold elections within 18 months.

The junta that had overthrown Keita was only dissolved in January.
Under pressure from the West African regional alliance ECOWAS, a transitional government was later formed with former defence minister, N’Daw at its helm that was supposed to introduce reforms in Mali.

The country has been rocked by instability and plagued by Islamist terrorists for years.

DPA