The son of the Malian president, one of the public figures at the center of the ongoing dispute in the country, has announced his resignation from the important chairmanship of the parliamentary defense committee.
After four days of violence, a precarious calm reigned on Tuesday morning in the streets of Bamako. The riots and repression have so far left 11 people dead and 124 wounded, with protesters clamoring for the resignation of President IBK for a week. The latter is still in office, but his son Karim Keïta, much criticized by the opponents, is posing as a victim. He has announced his resignation from the chairmanship of the Assembly’s Defense Committee.
After four days of violence, a precarious calm reigned on Tuesday morning in the streets of Bamako. The riots and repression have so far left 11 people dead and 124 wounded, with protesters clamoring for the resignation of President IBK for a week. The latter is still in office, but his son Karim Keïta, much criticized by the opponents, is posing as a victim. He has announced his resignation from the chairmanship of the Assembly’s Defense Committee.
Karim Keïta was already Chairman of the Defense Committee before the April parliamentary elections, reports Coralie Pierret. He was reappointed by his peers in May after his re-election as deputy for the Bamako municipality. He remains a member of this commission and deputy, but resigns as its chairman.
Karim Keïta denounces a “patronymic offence”. Some people continue to focus their bludgeoning on me, I’m not fooled,” he says. The final objective of this bludgeoning is elsewhere. “Indeed, since the beginning of the protest and the creation of the M5 movement, Karim Keïta has been particularly targeted by critics. The M5 calls for the resignation of his father and denounces corruption, bad governance and the clan’s seizure of power, they say, by the head of state.
Today, the situation in Bamako remains tense, despite the release of leaders and activists on Monday. Clément Dembélé was also released late on Monday, dropped off by a 4×4 vehicle outside Bamako National Park. The mystery still hangs over his three-day disappearance, as he was not detained with the other leaders of the protest.