Mali coup leaders unveil new constitution

By Maganga Media - Mar 29, 2012

Mali's coup leaders have unveiled a new constitution and pledged to hold elections even as the West African nation's neighbours prepared to send a high-level delegation to lobby for the restoration of democracy. The charter, which did not specify when the elections would be held, came hours after the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, threatened sanctions and the use of military force to reverse last week's coup that ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure.

A statement read out on behalf of the coup leaders on state television said none of them would stand in the upcoming elections. It added that civilians would be offered 15 out of 41 posts in a new transitional authority intended to prepare the path for elections. Captain Amadou Sanogo, a US-trained soldier who led the coup, will appoint an interim prime minister and government.

The new constitution guarantees the right to demonstrate or go on strike. It also granted immunity to the leaders of  the coup, that left three people dead.

Ousted leader speaks

Meanwhile, Toure, whose whereabouts have been unknown since he was overthrown on March 22, on Wednesday told the AFP news agency he was safe in Bamako and was not being held by the coup leaders. "I am indeed in Bamako, and thank God my family and I are doing well," Toure said in a brief telephone conversation.

Asked about his location, Toure responded: "Does it matter? What is important to know, is that I am not being held prisoner.  "I am obviously following what is happening, I wish with all my heart that peace and democracy triumph in Mali. I have nothing else to say for the moment," he added.

The fate of the ousted president, 63, has raised concern in the past six days, since renegade soldiers forced him to flee as they fired on the presidency last weekend in a mutiny which led to a full-blown coup.

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