Kidal, Symbolic Challenge of Malian Presidential Elections

French Translation of the Week

The army wanted to reconquer the city by force, the government has instead negotiated with the rebels in order to be able to hold the elections. However Kidal, the largest city in the North scarcely populated, will have no real impact on Malian presidential.

"L'armée voulait la reconquérir par la force, le gouvernement a négocié pour pouvoir y tenir les élections. Mais Kidal, la grande ville du Nord, peu peuplée, n'aura pas de réel impact sur la présidentielle malienne."

This article has been translated from French. Click here to read the original version on Jeune Afrique

An uncertain situation still exists in Kidal, one of eight regional capitals. Despite the release of northern Mali from the jihadists in January 2013 by both the French and the Chadian troops, Kidal remained under the control of the MNLA. Compelled to obtain a military victory since its debacle against the combined onslaught of both insurgents and jihadists, the army has made no secret on his intention to reclaim the city.

On June 5, the Malian troops took back Anefis, the last village on the road to Kidal. Before the negotiations  in Ouagadougou  finally result in a provisional agreement for the presidential elections, hailed in Bamako and by Mali's partners, but nothing says that this will be absolutely respected.

Arm Wrestling

However, for the actual voting, Kidal is more a symbol than an challenge of numbers. This region, where just over 35,000 voters are registered (out of a total of 6.9 million), is the least populated of Mali. Knowing that thousands of people have left to seek refuge in neighboring states or in the South of the country, the participation of Kidalois remained in Kidal is unlikely to influence the election. But behind the tussle which took place in Burkina Faso  looms a major challenge facing the next president: the administrative status of Northern Mali and the claims advanced by the two main Tuareg organizations.

In recent weeks, the entire country was speculating about the real intentions of Paris on this sensitive issue, suspecting the former colonial power of lenience towards the MNLA. But on June 5, the French President Francois Hollande clarified his position: "The elections will be held as scheduled throughout Mali, in all the cities, and hence kidal. There won't be two armies in Mali. "

Photo attributed to Assaleck AG TITA on Flickr Commons