August 06, 2018

The election the world has forgotten: And why it shouldn’t

located:	Zimbabwe, Mali
editor:	Bob Koigi

The world has had its eyes trained on the Zimbabwe Presidential election, while the media attention on this historic vote has been unprecedented. And rightly so. It is the first time in close to 40 years that the Zimbabweans are voting in a new President following the ouster of former ruler Robert Mugabe.

But to the west of the continent in Mali, another election has taken place around the same time with no clear winner. It is now headed for a run off. Yet it has, to a great extent, been ignored by the international community even though its outcome matters a great deal to regional politics and the stability of the Sahel region.

The strategic location of this land locked West African nation, with a population of 18 million people, and whose capital Bamako has been billed the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth globally, hasn’t quite been enjoyed by citizens. With the growing tribal conflict and the mutating Jihadi war, the country is increasingly sinking into an abyss.

It is the African country with the highest presence of international soldiers, predominantly from Europe, who have been placed to combat militant groups and restore peace. France has 4,500 soldiers in the country, the UN under the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, has approximately 13,300 soldiers and Germany has sent 700 of its troops. Yet disenfranchisement from the youth, who form the bulk of the country's population, has seen many seek solace in militant groups or greener pastures in Europe. In fact, Mali is among six African countries with the highest number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

But hope abides. The international community has given the just concluded elections a clean bill of health, citing no major incidents. It is equally a win for constitutionalism with the incumbent having agreed to a run-off after failing to acquire the 50 percent threshold. It is important that the country gets a President who has an unflinching resolve to pursue lasting peace and build solid institutions that not only embolden ongoing stabilisation initiatives in the country, but partner with neighbouring nations in restoring elusive peace once and for all.