Recently, military junta in Mali under what it calls the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (NCSP) , once again, threw the moggy amidst pigeons. In its despondency and gambit to keep power, the junta recently appointed Bah N’Daou, retired military man, to be president of the 18-month transition government–––if indeed, that’s what it intends to achieve–––with Assimi Goita, the power behind the throne, as his vice president. This chicanery speaks to the fact that the army is still in power. As well, shall the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) buy into this façade, the army will have successfully maintained power in Mali illegally. Similarly, this will set a very bad precedent for other power-hungry ogres to topple the governments in their jurisdiction. Shall the ECOWAS cower before the junta, it should not blame others who will raise against their democratically elected government motivated by this.
Although the statement that was put on TV indicates that the army appointed N’Daou, reality is that Goita is more of a Svengali if not a ventriloquist in this game of deceit and power ravenousness. What Goita did isn’t new. It once worked in Rwanda when/where Pasteur Bizimungu was appointed president with Paul Kagame vice president to end up being used to warm up the presidential chair. Soo, too, the same is now ongoing in Sudan where Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo is calling the tune not to mention Zimbabwe where the vice president is the former Chief of Staff, Constatino Chiwenga who betrayed his boss, former president Robert Mugabe. I’ve some reasons to believe that the real president in Mali is still Goita and his military government. If one looks at North Sudan and Zimbabwe and ask if the situation has improved, one’ll be able to predict what to expect in Mali after the military has been legalised.
Mali’s new president is nothing but a string-puppet that Goita will use to rule the country from behind the blinds. Anybody doubting this should look at what has been ongoing in North Sudan where the civilian prime minister is used by the army to rule the country military for the detriment of the masses that forced former dictatorship out of power.
If there’s anything that the international community, especially the ECOWAS–––which is powerful actor and is in negotiations with the junta in Mali–––needs to not fall for is what’s currently ongoing in the country. The junta seems gritty to keep power by all means. As was the case in Sudan, still the junta is hellbent to remain in power even by cobbling some influential figures or opposition–––if need be as it recently transpired. Will the junta succeed in duping Malians and the ECOWAS altogether? If it does, what message will this send to Africa and the world?
There are various reasons why the ECOWAS and Malians need to stay put to see to it that the army is purged from power and returned to the barracks. The following are the reasons for this stance:
First of all, N’Daou is a soldier. Thus, there’s no difference between him and other active military men forming the junta. N’Daou was quoted recently as saying “Mali has given me everything. I am happy to be its submissive slave, willing to do everything for it to return to full constitutional legality, with elected authorities, legitimate representatives.” N’Daou is a slave of the junta but not of Malians. Therefore, Malians should not be fooled by such avowals. Actually, what happened in Mali is nothing but old wine in a new bottle or call it monkey business. Yes, all monkeys do monkey business. You don’t replace the simian with an orang-utan and expect any change. Never. It doesn’t work that way. There’s nothing new that former military junta didn’t do or promise. The job of the army is to protect the boundaries of the country but not to rule it. If dictatorship under a civilian president was bad, the same under the military man will worse despite the fact that dictatorship is dictatorship. If Malians were afraid of the lizard in their bedroom, they’re now in bed with a croc.
Secondly, who gave the army the authority and job of appointing the president? The power to appoint, employ or make a president belongs to the people who do so through the votes. Can such a president be impartial and independent? The president appointed by the army will be answerable to it as it is for the president who is voted for by the citizens according to the constitution is always answerable to the citizens. Yes, nobody can serve two masters at a time.
Third, as indicated above, the narrative that the junta appointed the president is but a cover. The one who appointed the president is Goita. Thus, the president will be answerable to Goita and his colleagues but not the Malians.
Fourth, to make matters worse, after assuring itself that it can get away with murder, the junta allowed the president to appoint a civilian prime minister. As argued, what’s ongoing in Mali is a replica of what is ongoing in Sudan. President N’Daou appointed Moctar Ouane prime minister in order to overcome the sanctions. The Al Jazeera (September 25, 2020) cited ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou as saying that sanctions would be lifted when a civilian prime minister is named. I am arguing that shall the ECOWAS make this goof, will be a part and parcel of the abuse of democracy in Mali. It shouldn’t be by any means.
Although the statement that was put on TV indicates that the army appointed N’Daou, reality is that Goita is more of a Svengali if not a ventriloquist in this game of deceit and power ravenousness. What Goita did isn’t new. It once worked in Rwanda when/where Pasteur Bizimungu was appointed president with Paul Kagame vice president to end up being used to warm up the presidential chair. Soo, too, the same is now ongoing in Sudan where Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo is calling the tune not to mention Zimbabwe where the vice president is the former Chief of Staff, Constatino Chiwenga who betrayed his boss, former president Robert Mugabe. I’ve some reasons to believe that the real president in Mali is still Goita and his military government. If one looks at North Sudan and Zimbabwe and ask if the situation has improved, one’ll be able to predict what to expect in Mali after the military has been legalised.
Mali’s new president is nothing but a string-puppet that Goita will use to rule the country from behind the blinds. Anybody doubting this should look at what has been ongoing in North Sudan where the civilian prime minister is used by the army to rule the country military for the detriment of the masses that forced former dictatorship out of power.
If there’s anything that the international community, especially the ECOWAS–––which is powerful actor and is in negotiations with the junta in Mali–––needs to not fall for is what’s currently ongoing in the country. The junta seems gritty to keep power by all means. As was the case in Sudan, still the junta is hellbent to remain in power even by cobbling some influential figures or opposition–––if need be as it recently transpired. Will the junta succeed in duping Malians and the ECOWAS altogether? If it does, what message will this send to Africa and the world?
There are various reasons why the ECOWAS and Malians need to stay put to see to it that the army is purged from power and returned to the barracks. The following are the reasons for this stance:
First of all, N’Daou is a soldier. Thus, there’s no difference between him and other active military men forming the junta. N’Daou was quoted recently as saying “Mali has given me everything. I am happy to be its submissive slave, willing to do everything for it to return to full constitutional legality, with elected authorities, legitimate representatives.” N’Daou is a slave of the junta but not of Malians. Therefore, Malians should not be fooled by such avowals. Actually, what happened in Mali is nothing but old wine in a new bottle or call it monkey business. Yes, all monkeys do monkey business. You don’t replace the simian with an orang-utan and expect any change. Never. It doesn’t work that way. There’s nothing new that former military junta didn’t do or promise. The job of the army is to protect the boundaries of the country but not to rule it. If dictatorship under a civilian president was bad, the same under the military man will worse despite the fact that dictatorship is dictatorship. If Malians were afraid of the lizard in their bedroom, they’re now in bed with a croc.
Secondly, who gave the army the authority and job of appointing the president? The power to appoint, employ or make a president belongs to the people who do so through the votes. Can such a president be impartial and independent? The president appointed by the army will be answerable to it as it is for the president who is voted for by the citizens according to the constitution is always answerable to the citizens. Yes, nobody can serve two masters at a time.
Third, as indicated above, the narrative that the junta appointed the president is but a cover. The one who appointed the president is Goita. Thus, the president will be answerable to Goita and his colleagues but not the Malians.
Fourth, to make matters worse, after assuring itself that it can get away with murder, the junta allowed the president to appoint a civilian prime minister. As argued, what’s ongoing in Mali is a replica of what is ongoing in Sudan. President N’Daou appointed Moctar Ouane prime minister in order to overcome the sanctions. The Al Jazeera (September 25, 2020) cited ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou as saying that sanctions would be lifted when a civilian prime minister is named. I am arguing that shall the ECOWAS make this goof, will be a part and parcel of the abuse of democracy in Mali. It shouldn’t be by any means.
If anything, no condition was tough to the junta like economic sanctions that the ECOWAS has imposed on Mali. There is no way it can function without economic linkage. Ouane is the junta’s biggest gamble because, among many accolades, he was an advisor to the ECOWAS. Thus, the army thinks he might use his connection to the organisation to soften its stance against it. Will this work; and thereby allow the putsch to get away with murder? Nonetheless, chances are that the gambit by the military even by appointing a civilian connected to the ECOWAS will never fool the ECOWAS and Malians to support it. If the power that appointed him is in the pocket of a soldier, he too will be in the same pocket doing what he’ll be ordered to do even if doing so is against the interests of the Malians.
In sum, shall the ECOWAS remove sanctions against Mali, it will be making it easier for the junta to cling to power even longer than expected. For, after establishing itself in power, it will create conducive environment for staying even longer through legitimising itself through democratic processes. This is obvious. For, the junta knows how difficult it always is to organise a common stand among many countries not to mention how other pressing matters evolve or those supposed to act forget or being compromised. North Sudan provides a proper example. Where is the world now after the junta cobbled civimilitary government to fool the international community?
Suffice it to say, shall the ECOWAS allow the junta in Mali to cling to power, it won’t only be degrading itself but also partaking of the crime against the people of Mali. As for Malians, don’t accept to buy a goat in the sack. Don’t wait to open the sack and find that the goat you bought is nothing but a hyena.
In sum, shall the ECOWAS remove sanctions against Mali, it will be making it easier for the junta to cling to power even longer than expected. For, after establishing itself in power, it will create conducive environment for staying even longer through legitimising itself through democratic processes. This is obvious. For, the junta knows how difficult it always is to organise a common stand among many countries not to mention how other pressing matters evolve or those supposed to act forget or being compromised. North Sudan provides a proper example. Where is the world now after the junta cobbled civimilitary government to fool the international community?
Suffice it to say, shall the ECOWAS allow the junta in Mali to cling to power, it won’t only be degrading itself but also partaking of the crime against the people of Mali. As for Malians, don’t accept to buy a goat in the sack. Don’t wait to open the sack and find that the goat you bought is nothing but a hyena.
Source: African Executive today.
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