By John Ikani
Colonel Assimi Goita, the head of Mali’s junta, is making efforts to promote the country’s new draft constitution by meeting with religious leaders, politicians, and civil society.
Speaking during the meeting, he emphasized the importance of disseminating the draft constitution widely and explaining it to the population.
According to him: “The goal is for Malians, both at home and abroad, to be well-informed about the developments and progress of the draft constitution, which is the starting point of the vast reform project initiated by the transitional authorities in Mali for the return to civilian power.”
The junta leader went on to add that “We must work together so that the Malian people, with full knowledge of the facts, take ownership of the draft constitution and adopt it by a large majority.
“We will then have taken a decisive step in the process of rebuilding our state.”
The colonel is confident that with the support of the public, the draft constitution can pave the way for the return to civilian rule in Mali.
It is worthwhile to note that, the referendum for the adoption of the draft constitution was initially set to be held on March 19.
However, the authorities recently announced its postponement to a later date, citing a delay in the distribution of new biometric identity cards and the National electoral body’s lack of full functionality.
The decision to delay the referendum, is seen as a responsible move to ensure that all Malians have the opportunity to participate in this critical process.