The referendum scheduled for Sunday, March 19 has been postponed to a later date.
After validation on March 15, the President of the Transition in Mali, Colonel Assimi Goita will present the draft constitution on March 20, to the active political forces of Mali.
The Malian head of state had asked members of the government to “appropriate the draft Constitution and take all necessary measures to popularise it among the population.”
This Constitution is the starting point of the vast reform project initiated by the transitional authorities in Mali for the return to civilian power. Initially, the referendum for its adoption was to be held on Sunday March 19. But since Friday March 10, the authorities have announced its postponement to a later date arguing the delay in the distribution of new biometric identity cards as well as the operationalization of the Independent Authority for the Management of Elections (AIGE) taking into account the new electoral constituencies recently created.
Some of the provisions of the new Basic Law are rejected by a significant section of the population. Starting with the influential organisation regrouping the Imams of Mali (LIMAMA), which has stated its intention to vote against this project on condition that the term “secularism” is replaced by that of “multi-faith state.” There is also a new platform called “Appel du 20 fevrier,” which brings together several well-known political parties and civil society organisations that have called for the abandonment of the bill. In addition to this situation, there is also a very agitated security and social front.
This means that there are many uncertainties and grey areas surrounding the holding of this election with a view to adopting this new fundamental law, which the authorities consider to be of capital importance for the return to constitutional order.
MD/ac/lb/abj/APA