Supporters of Malian president celebrate re-election victory

Supporters of Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta thronged his campaign headquarters to celebrate victory as soon as results of the run-poll were announced.

While some cheered, others took to the dancing floor.

“We have never made a mistake, we always said IBK was the candidate of the people of Mali. And in the first round, he won in all the regions of Mali, outside, and in the Bamako district. In the second round the major candidates who came out of the first round rallied behind him. The third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth and so on”, said campaign manager for President Keïta, Bacary Treta.

But the mood was sombre at the camp of opposition candidate Soumalia Cisse.

‘‘We cannot allow for our victory to be stolen before the whole world and the people of Mali. We deserve this victory and we won in a dignified and honest manner, without doing anything. It is the Malians who have expressed themselves through the ballot box. Why go and stuff ballot boxes in the north and in the centre if they don’t want to set fire to this country and shed blood?”, said Cissé supporter, Yeri Boucouman.

Keita polled 67.17% of the vote while his main contender Soumaïla Cissé had 32.83%. AFP said before the results were announced, mobile internet was inaccessible for several hours.