The United Nations has waded into political unrest in Mali, condemning the arrests of the Western African nation’s President and Prime Minister.
Mutiny soldiers on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, arrested President Keïta and prime minister, Boubou Cissé.
But UN has condemned the arrests, calling for their immediate release.
United Nations’ Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, reacting to the arrests, expressed his strongest condemnation of the actions of the mutiny soldiers.
In a statement shared by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres strongly condemned the latest crisis in Mali and demanded the immediate release of President Keïta and prime minister, Boubou Cissé.
According to the statement, Mr Guterres also requested “the immediate restoration of constitutional order and rule of law in Mali.”
The Prime Minister and President were arrested in Mali’s capital, Bamako.
The mutinying soldiers took up arms following a weeks-long crisis in Mali.
President Keïta has been asked to step down on allegations of corruption, insecurity and mismanagement of the nation’s economy which has nosedived in recent times.
By Melvin Tarlue
