Mali’s military leader General Assimi Goita has suspended the activities of political parties.

The activities of political parties, associations and organisations have been suspended “until further notice for reasons of public order,” according to a presidential decree read on national television on Wednesday.

It came as political parties prepared for a demonstration on Friday in Bamako to demand a transition from military rule to constitutional order and protest a proposal to dissolve political parties.

The West African nation has been ruled by the military since coups in 2020 and 2021.

Suspension of political activities in April

In June 2022, Goita's administration pledged to hold elections and hand power back to civilians by the end of March 2024 but it later postponed the vote indefinitely.

The military authorities suspended political activities last April, but lifted the suspension in July.

The military-led governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023 through a treaty aimed at deepening political, economic and security ties among the three West African nations.

The confederation has taken bold steps to redefine its international alignment, including recent withdrawals from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).