Mali president wins re-election
Amadou Toumani Toure gets another term in poll declared free and fair by observers.
Published On 3 May 2007
Toure’s campaign had previously claimed more than 70 per cent of votes while those backing Keita have already cried foul and pledged to challenge the outcome.
‘Free and fair’
Foreign observers say the vote in the former French colony, one of the world’s poorest countries, were free and fair.
Credited with rescuing West Africa‘s second largest country from military dictatorship, Toure first seized power in a 1991 coup and won international acclaim for handing over power to an elected president the following year.
The soft-spoken former parachute commando – dubbed “The Soldier of Malian Democracy” – made a comeback as a civilian with his election in 2002.
Since then he has worked to improve relations with foreign donors and investors, while focusing much of his attention at home on mechanising agriculture and building roads to get produce to market.
The election results must be submitted by Friday to the constitutional court for approval.
Source: News Agencies