Mali: Assimi Goïta appoints members of independent electoral body

Col. Aissimi Goita, President of the Transition in Mali, appointed Wednesday the 15 members of the country’s independent election body known as Autorité Indépendante de Gestion des Elections (AIGE).

The AIGE was created in September 2021 following national dialogue and talks based on the rebuilding and the establishment of a single body in charge of organizing elections in the West African country.

The appointment of the AIGE members comes in the wake of a protest by the Malian citizen coalition for independent observation of elections in Mali (COCEM), Anadolu news agency reported.

The coalition on Monday regretted the delay in the appointment of the body’s members. It also indicated that the AIGE was expected per the electoral law, to begin operating since September 19 and has been tasked to organize a referendum on Mars 19 next year.

Malians were expected to go to polls for legislatives in February this year but the elections have been postponed to March next year.

The AIGE members include 3 representatives of the head of state, one representative of the Prime Minister, 2 representatives of the National Transition Council, one from High Council of Collectivities, one from the Economic, Social and Cultural Council, 4 members of political parties and 3 representatives of the Civil Society.