APA – Bamako (Mali) – The announcement made the news on social networks before finally being confirmed by more authoritative voices within the ‘Conseil National de Transition’ (National Transitional Council, CNT), acting as the legislative body governing this period.
Appointed for the first part of the transition in 2020, the singer Salif Keita is resigning from his post. The news broke on Tuesday 8 August. For the moment, the reasons for this decision are still unknown, although sources close to the singer cite “personal reasons.” However, some say that he has a busy schedule with several
performances outside the country.
This decision, accepted by the chairman of the CNT, Colonel Malick Diaw, comes at a time when the CNT has been meeting in extraordinary session since yesterday, Monday 7 July.
This resignation is the second of its kind after that of Imam Oumarou Diarra, an influential member of the M5-RFP, the protest movement that led to the fall of the late president IBK. Following his resignation, Imam Oumarou Diarra was appointed Minister Delegate for Humanitarian Action. He will hold this post until early July this year, following a major ministerial reshuffle.
As for singer Salif Keita, his political career has not been as brilliant as his success on stage. Some believe that his appointment followed his harsh criticism of the late President Ibrahim Boubabcar Keita (IBK,) whom he accused of taking orders from Paris. Paradoxically, the artist has a daughter, Nantenin Keita, Paralympic champion for France in 2016.
His presence at the CNT went virtually unnoticed, as not only was he absent on numerous occasions during the sessions. What’s more, even when he was present, he was conspicuous by his silence. This led some to say that it would be better to remove him from this position in favour of someone more active. Especially as the 147 members of the CNT receive more than a million CFA francs a month, even though they only meet in session like elected MPs.
Like Salif Keita, many members of the National Transitional Council (CNT) are conspicuous by their absence or silence, even though they are present.
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