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When Mali’s Colonel Assimi Goita first seized power in a coup in 2020, the West African nation erupted in joy. His promises to hold elections and bring stability to parts of the country troubled by armed groups were tantalising for a nation under siege.
Nearly five years later, however, Goita has repeatedly reneged on those promises. The security situation has only marginally improved, with violence and killings – sometimes by government forces – reported regularly in areas outside the capital, Bamako, while elections have been postponed.
Somehow, popular support for Goita has…
