Mali opposition warn govt against repression, call for fresh protest on Friday

Mali’s opposition have warned the government against using force on their supporters, after a clash between police and the opposition in the capital Bamako on Saturday, left dozens injured.

While addressing the press on Sunday, opposition presidential candidate Soumaila Cisse, said the country has never witnessed such a crackdown since the early 1990s .

“We must warn them because some have been actors so they know the path of history. You have to be very careful. Since March 1991, we haven’t seen repression like this.”

The opposition called for a new protest on Friday.

“We will compel them to respect our fundamental rights recognized and protected by the Constitution and we will not allow them, that is why we are calling for an new march on Friday, June 8, 2018,” said Tiéblé Dramé leader of the National Renaissance Party.

Cisse’s chief of staff had earlier alleged that security forces attached to Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, had fired live bullets against opposition supporters during the banned march, but the government denied the accusation.

The oppostion called on the Prime Minister to step down.

The west African nation will hold presidential elections on July 29 amid security challenges in its restive north.

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita plans to run for re-election in the polls, despite criticism that he has not done enough to cut youth unemployment and end an Islamist insurgency and in the north.

About a dozen candidates have announced their candidacy, the strongest of which is seen as opposition leader Soumaila Cisse, a former finance minister.