Mali’s military junta has dissolved all political parties in the country.
The declaration was made in a statement read on national television, confirming that Assimi Goita, the military leader, approved the action.
The development followed a recent gathering of political groups in Mali where participants proposed the removal of all existing political parties and the naming of Goita as president for 5 years.
The outcome of the meeting caused an uproar, sparking protests in Bamako on May 3 and 4 with demonstrators marching through the streets with signs calling for democratic elections and rejecting military rule.
As preparations began for another protest, the junta quickly responded by suspending all political activities in the country. This decision forced opposition groups to cancel the planned demonstration.
In the days that followed, human rights organizations began raising alarms about the sudden disappearance of opposition leaders.
One such group reported that Abba Alhassane, the secretary general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was taken by masked men who claimed to be law enforcement agents on May 8.
On the same day, another political figure, El Bachir Thiam from the Yelema party, was reportedly seized in the town of Kati, just outside Bamako.
The military first took control in August 2020, during a period of increased violence from armed groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda.
At the time, Goita promised to return the country to civilian rule through elections initially set for February 2022.
