Mali to go ahead with parliamentary polls

BAMAKO: Mali said on Thursday that an upcoming parliamentary poll long delayed by insecurity would go ahead, despite coronavirus fears.

The country is grappling with a Jihadist conflict that first broke out in the country in 2012, having caused thousands of civilian and military deaths since. It has yet to detect a positive coronavirus case, but the government has suspended flights from affected countries and closed schools in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Malian Prime Minister Boubou Cisse said the election will go ahead "for questions of survival of the nation and continuity of the state". The first round of voting is scheduled for March 29, and the second on April 19.

Cisse added that the election will take place "whether or not there is a case" of coronavirus. The elections have been postponed several times since 2018 because of the security crisis gripping the poor West African state.