Mr. Dramane Dembele, a 46-year-old mining engineer will lead the Malian largest political party, Adema-PASJ as its candidate in the upcoming July presidential polls which is aimed at ending the country political crisis.

Captain Amadou Sanogo staged a coup d’état last year in what he described as a failure of the then president Ahmadou Toumani Toure to curb a Tuareg insurgency in the north of the country.

Mr. Dembele was chosen following a meeting of the party’s executive committee on late Wednesday evening, a senior party official told reporters in Bamako.

The party’s current leader and Mali’s interim president, Dioncounda Traore, is barred from contesting the polls following a deal struck with coup leaders that allows him to lead the country during the transition period only.

Mr. Dembele is likely to face a fierce challenge from candidates including former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and ex-finance minister Soumaila Cisse, but political analysts say he will be able to count on Adema-PASJ’s popularity to emerge as the winner.

The party is currently controlling 54 seats in the country’s 160-seat national assembly following the last election in 2007.

France, which led a timing intervention to drive out the militants who had occupied northern Mali and has also pushed for the election to complete Mali’s transition to democracy says is a step in right direction.

France began withdrawing its forces from Mali yesterday but says it is still committed to ensuring complete political stability in its former colony.

But there are widespread concerns over the organization of credible elections following continued rebellion by militants’ attacks in the north and the lack of an effective government presence in many areas of the country.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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