Mali strongman sacks transition leaders, vows elections ‘in 2022’

Mali strongman Assimi Goita on Tuesday forced out two transitional leaders who had been appointed following a coup last August, and promised that elections would be held next year.

In a statement read on public television, Goita said President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane had been stripped of their duties for seeking to “sabotage” the transition, which would “proceed as normally, and the scheduled elections will be held in 2022.”

Army officers upset with a government reshuffle have detained the pair, who were appointed in September under international pressure with the task of steering Mali back to full civilian rule within 18 months.