Mali holds election despite Coronavirus, insurgency

By Bukola Olasanmi

Mali held its long-delayed parliamentary election on Sunday despite an insurgency in its central and northern regions, concerns about Coronavirus and the recent kidnapping of the main opposition leader.

The election, originally scheduled for 2018, has been postponed twice because of intensifying violence in parts of Mali where the government struggles to suppress jihadist groups with links to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

The Coronavirus pandemic has posed a further threat to the vote but authorities in the West African nation have insisted it will go ahead, promising to enforce additional hygiene measures to protect Mali’s 7.6 million voters.