Mali’s military leader disbands political parties amid crackdown on opposition

Mali’s military-led government has officially disbanded all political parties and associations in a sweeping move that follows days of rare public protests and increasing reports of opposition members being forcibly disappeared.

The announcement, delivered via national television on Tuesday, was personally endorsed by Colonel Assimi Goita, who rose to power after coups in 2020 and 2021.

This development intensifies the junta’s hold on the country, coming just days after all political activity was suspended—a decision that coincided with plans for anti-government demonstrations scheduled for Friday, which have since been canceled by opposition groups.

Earlier protests held on May 3 and 4 featured demonstrators carrying signs that read, “Down with dictatorship, long live democracy,” marking a notable act of defiance in a nation where public dissent has been scarce since the military took over.

Tensions rose sharply in April when a national forum recommended that Goita remain in power until 2030—a proposal that drew sharp criticism from both opposition leaders and human rights organizations.

Human Rights Watch reported last Thursday that Abba Alhassane, secretary-general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was “arrested” by “masked gunmen”.

That same day, El Bachir Thiam, head of the Yelema party, was allegedly taken by unknown individuals in Kati, a town near the capital city, Bamako.

A source within CODEM, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said the party had lost contact with Abdoul Karim Traore, a youth leader, and suspects he may also have been abducted.

The authorities in Bamako have yet to release any official statement regarding the alleged disappearances.

Goita first seized power in August 2020, following a violent suppression of protests against the previous civilian government that left at least 14 dead. He went on to stage a second coup in May 2021, deposing the interim civilian leadership.

In a December 2024 report, Human Rights Watch accused Malian soldiers, alongside members of the Russian Wagner Group, of having “deliberately killed” no fewer than 32 civilians and setting fire to over 100 homes across central and northern Mali.