Maki’s Coup Leaders Set To Appoint Transaction President

The coup leaders in Mali that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita have said they are looking at appointing a traditional president who could be either a civilian or military.

Thus, they have revealed that they are in talks with the opposition parties to this effect.

They arrested Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on Tuesday and forced him to resign, sparking global condemnation.

Meanwhile, West African leaders have called for him to be reinstated and the UN, the BBC reports, says all those detained should be freed.

Mali has several jihadi groups in its northern deserts and there are fears they could take advantage of the coup.

They did so following the previous military takeover in 2012.

The coup leaders have promised to respect international agreements on fighting jihadists. Thousands of French, African and UN troops are based in the country to tackle the militants.

The opposition coalition, which had been campaigning for Mr. Keïta to resign, has called for a rally on Friday to celebrate his departure.

On Thursday, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) said it would send envoys to ensure the return of constitutional order.

It also called for an “immediate build-up” of the Ecowas Standby Force, a multidisciplinary force of military, civilian, and police personnel, which has intervened in previous crises in the region but always in far smaller countries than Mali.

There is an increased military presence outside government ministries in the capital, Bamako, but shops and businesses have reopened.

Mr. Keïta won a second term in elections in 2018, but since June has faced huge street protests over corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and disputed legislative elections.

There has also been anger among troops about pay and the conflict with jihadists, which has seen scores of soldiers killed in the past year.

The coupists said: “We are going to set in place a transitional council, with a transitional president who is going to be either military or civilian,” junta spokesman Col Ismaël Wagué told TV channel France 24.

“We are in contact with civil society, opposition parties, the majority, everyone, to try to set the transition in place.”

The transition will happen “as quickly as possible”, he added.

The junta has previously promised elections in a “reasonable time”.

It also announced that Mali’s borders would reopen, from midnight on Friday.