Mali president dissolves constitutional court amid unrest

Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has dissolved the constitutional court in a bid to calm civil unrest that saw four deaths in street protests on July 10. 

The court has been at the centre of controversy after it overturned provisional results for parliamentary elections in March, reports BBC. 

There are growing calls for President Keita to resign.

Opponents are unhappy with his handling of Mali's long-running jihadist conflict, an economic crisis and the disputed elections.

A new opposition coalition led by the conservative Imam, Mahmoud Dicko, has been insisting on further reforms after rejecting earlier concessions from the Malian president including the formation of a unity government.

What's the latest in Mali?

"I have decided to repeal the licences of the remaining members of the constitutional court," the president said in an evening television address on Saturday.

"This de facto dissolution of the court will enable us, from next week, to ask relevant authorities to nominate new members so that the reformed court can quickly help us find solutions to the disputes arising from the legislative elections," he added.

Four people died in Friday's protest in the capital Bamako, authorities say.

Speaking earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Boubou Cissé said he and the president were open to talks and promised to form an inclusive government "very quickly".

"I will put in place a government with the aim of being open to address the challenges of the moment," he told Radio France International.

But this came as the opposition coalition said security forces detained two of the protest leaders, Choguel Kokala Maïga and Mountaga Tall. Another protest leader, Issa Kaou Djim, was arrested on July 10.

In addition, security forces "came and attacked and ransacked our headquarters," opposition coalition spokesman Nouhoum Togo said.

On Saturday evening correspondents described the capital as tense with protesters blocking several roads with barricades. However, numbers were down on Friday's protests, which forced the state broadcaster off the air.

Why are people protesting?

These demonstrations are the third since June.

Protests started after the opposition coalition rejected concessions from President Keita designed to end a political stand-off over a disputed legislative election in March.

The opposition this week said the movement had dropped its demand for President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita to step down. But it still called this protest because it wants more reforms.

President Keita secured a second five-year term in 2018 but he has faced increased opposition over a rise in jihadist violence and an economic crisis.

Malians will hope this instability does not play into the hands of the jihadists who are behind the escalating violence in the north and centre of the country.