More Consultations

Years after the coming to power of the Transitional Military Government in Mali, many questions remain unanswered with regards to the transfer of power to civilian rule. After going through a very hard-hitting negotiation process with leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that ended with the putting in place of a transitional calendar, the Transitional Military Government embarked on rewriting a new constitution to be validated through a Referendum. This process which began at the grassroots with consultations of the different strata of the population is today at the national level with the eminent organization of a National Referendum. 
But despite the importance of the process which is a milestone on the road to elections slated for February 2024, there seems to be some hurdles that have led to its postponement, “The new date of the referendum will be set after consultation with the independent election management authority and all stakeholders in the electoral process,” a government statement said. To many observers, the postponement is not a surprise because almost no arrangements had been made for the voting exercise, while the draft constitution was handed to the President of the Transitional Military Government, Assimi Goita less than three weeks to the Referendum date (on February 27), leaving government with less time to sensitize the population on the raison d’etre of the different articles in the constitution.
While most Malians within and without are keeping their hands crossed and waiting for a new deadline which for now remains a mystery, there is need for continuous consultations. The government should accelerate the process especially with ECOWAS...