After the demonstration of thousands of people, on Saturday, June 17 at the call of civil society and the opposition, political parties of the presidential majority voiced reservations against the constitutional reform project, initiated by President IBK. Today, it is the turn of the magistrates to ask “the pure and simple withdrawal” of the text.
“There are many parts worthy of criticism in the current frame that are dangerous weapons in the hands of the executive”, criticizes Mamadou Nanacassé president of the autonomous union of the magistracy. He is referring to the possibility in the new draft for the President of the Republic to review the Constitution on convocation of the Congress, without going through a referendum.
On the status of the magistracy, the red dresses are even angrier: “we do not understand what is hindering the current configuration and pushing its openness to members who have nothing to do with the corporation”. We do not understand this fury if it is not a willingness to take over the magistracy”, Mr. Nanacassé says in indignation.
In Mali, objections against the need for constitutional review are multiplying. Sometimes in the very camp of the presidential majority where at least four political parties have asked President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta to “re-read” the project.
This is the case of the National Congress of Democratic Initiative (Cnid) of the former minister of IBK Mountaga Tall. “This rereading could offer the opportunity for more in-depth, inclusive debates with mutual concessions on the main points of difference”, the party said in an official statement.
In the camp of former Prime Minister of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Moussa Mara, it is also believed that we must “reopen and encourage” the debate around this review. “The debate will also shed light on certain shortcomings of the project that should in no way be overshadowed”, said Mara, whose party “Yelema” (change in the Bambara language) is part of the presidential majority. Still within the majority, the party of Yeah Samaké, Mali’s current ambassador to New Delhi, is much more categorical. The party will vote “no” in the current state of affairs. The National Union of Workers of Mali (UNTM) and the collective of the 60 markets of Bamako also join the “No” camp. In Mopti in the center of the country, there were also demonstrations against the reform.
President IBK continues consultations in Bamako where he is multiplying meetings on the subject. On Tuesday, in a statement, he said half-word not to be hermetically closed to a postponement of the calendar, but ensures “to not yield anything to demagogy, outbidding and excesses”.
Aboubacar Dicko