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Mali's Third Candidate Claims Enough Support to Enter Runoff

By Bram Posthumus July 31, 2018

As counting continues in Mali's presidential election, a third candidate, Aliou Diallo, has claimed enough votes to enter a runoff with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and his main challenger Soumaïla Cissé. Meanwhile, the turnout has been disappointingly low – partly because of security concerns from Islamist militants in parts of the country.

While early indications point toward a runoff in Mali's presidential election, a third candidate on Tuesday claimed enough votes to enter a second round.

A spokesman for gold magnate Aliou Diallo claimed he had come in second in Sunday's election with enough votes for a run-off on August 12.

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and his main challenger Soumaïla Cissé had on Monday claimed to make it to a second round. Keïta's campaign maintains he is in the lead.

Twenty-four candidates entered Sunday's election to lead a nation suffering from lack of security and frequent attacks by Islamist militants.

The Mali Citizens Observation Pool noted violent incidents all over the country during voting. Its chief observer Ibrahim Sangho said those included voters angry at the absence of observers from opposition parties at polling stations, as reported in the capital. He also noted violent incidents in the regions of Mopti, Taoudenni, and Timbuktu.

The office of Mali Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga said Monday more than 700 polling stations, which were shut down, reported violent incidents, ranging from burning election material to attacks against election officials. But it added that this represents less than three percent of voting stations in Mali.

Mortar attacks near polling stations during Sunday's election were blamed on Islamist militants. Nobody was injured in the attacks.

The violence contributed to a low voter turn-out, raising some questions about the legitimacy of whoever wins.

The Malian electorate has demonstrated its indifference, said voter Ahmed Traoré.

He said there were no crowds, no queues, and that all had gone smoothly. But he said participation rate has not been what it should be, and that is also because people have not been collecting their voters cards.