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- Parliamentary elections in Mali closed on Sunday, March 29th 2020
- Polls held amid insurgency, worries about coronavirus and the recent kidnapping of the main opposition leader
The long-delayed Parliamentary elections in Mali closed on Sunday, March 29th, 2020 amid an insurgency in its central and northern regions, worries about coronavirus and the recent kidnapping of the main opposition leader Soumaila Cisse by unidentified gunmen.
The elections were held to choose new MPs for the 147-seat National Assembly. Hours before the elections, Mali recorded the first coronavirus death. As of Sunday morning, the country had confirmed 20 cases of coronavirus. The second round is scheduled for April 19. Mali has 7.6 million voters, and the government has assured enforcement of additional hygiene measures to prevent the spread of COVID19. Turnout in the capital Bamako was reported as low when polling booths opened on Sunday at 0800. The absence of rush at the polling stations allowed voters to cast their ballot while keeping the recommended distance from each other. Handwashing kits arrived too late for early voters.
The elections were originally scheduled for 2018. But the polls had to be postponed twice because of severe violence in parts of Mali. It was reported that the government faced challenges from jihadist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Mali’s main opposition leader Soumaila Cisse and six members of his delegation were kidnapped last week while on an election campaign in the northern region of Timbuktu. Information about the plight of the kidnapped is still not known.
