Bamako - One of Mali's top contestants in this month's presidential election pulled out on Wednesday from the race, saying the electoral process is flawed and keeping tens of thousands of people from voting.
The rush to hold a first round of presidential elections on July 28 was “denying the population its constitutional right to take part in the process,” said Tiebele Drame, the government's main negotiator during peace talks with separatist Tuareg rebels who occupied Kidal for months and are still stationed in the northern town.
“The conditions do not exist for a fair, credible and constitutionally acceptable election, especially in Kidal, where electoral lists have been hastily drawn up,” he said.
Politicians, analysts and international observer groups said they doubt that the West African nation would be ready for the polls. A voters register is incomplete, the country remains unstable after a coup last year and the Tuareg insurgency, and July is the rainy and planting season.
The election date was set under pressure from former colonial power France and international donors, who tied the release of billions of dollars in aid to the July 28 election date.
Drame said the situation in Kidal remained volatile and most of the roughly 500 000 Malians displaced during violence since the military coup in March 2012 have not received voter cards.
Peace in Kidal is seen as essential to the success of the election.
Drame also said his political party, Parena, was withdrawing its constitutional court application for the postponement of the election, citing “deafening silence” from the judiciary since lodging it 10 days ago. - Sapa-dpa