The Prime Minister of Mali Cheik Modibo Diarra has resigned on state television, hours after being arrested by soldiers who staged the coup d’état in March this year.
Bamako / NationalTurk – In his address on national broadcaster ORTM, Mr. Diarra gave no clear explanation of his resignation but did say it was in the interest of the country for him to resign.
“Men and women who are worried about the future of our nation, you are hoping for peace. It’s for this reason that I, Cheikh Modibo Diarra, am resigning along with my entire government to pave way for peace,” Mr. Diarra voiced out.
Local reporters say the Prime Minister was detained earlier on Monday before being taken away later on the orders of Capt Amadou Sanogo who led the coup in March.
Local media said the Prime Minister was due to for France which might probably necessitated his arrest by the military.
Mr. Diarra was made prime minister of an interim government in April after the military officially handed power back to civilians to help solve the political crisis.
The Prime Minister has backed plans to send a West African intervention force into the northern half of Mali which was seized after the coup by Islamists and Tuareg separatists.
But the military and many people in Mali opposed to foreign intervention saying the need financial and logistical support rather than personnel.
This situation has created tension between the coup leaders and the Prime Minister in recent weeks making it delaying the deployment of the foreign troops.
Military spokesman Bakary Mariko told the reporters that the prime minister was suspected of attempting to endanger the planned political dialogue over the transition to democracy.
“Eight months ago the prime minister was given the mission to help Mali recover its territorial integrity, but unfortunately he has been working to stay in power indefinitely,” Mr. Mariko said.
He however added that the Prime minister will be held in custody till a new Prime Minister is appointed to fill the vacuum created.
Mali was rocked by coup d’état and amid insurgency by Tuareg Rebels in the north making the political stability of the country volatile.
Regional block the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS has agreed to send 3.300 troops to reclaim rebel-held territory in the northern part of the country which is backed by the United Nations.
But the unfortunate aspect of this is that the deployment of the troops has not been materialized despite the endorsement by the World governing body.
Issaka Adams/NationalTurk Africa News
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