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Mali Votes in Long-Delayed Parliamentary Election

VOA News

   Voters inMaliwentto the polls Sundayto elect members ofthe 147-seat
   National Assembly.

   The parliamentary election in the war-torn West African country,which
   should have taken place afterPresident Ibrahim Boubacar
   Keita's2018reelection,has been postponedseveral timessincethenout
   ofsecurity concerns.

   New members of the assembly are expected to emerge for the first time
   since2013, whenRally for Mali,Keita'sparty, gaineda substantial
   majority.

   Some 200,000 people displaced bythe ongoing violence innorthern and
   central Maliwill not be able to vote, because "no mechanism has been
   established"to facilitate their participation, a government official
   said.

   The COVID-19 outbreakhasfigured inthepersistentsecurity fearsabout the
   vote.

   Late Saturday, the countryannounced itsfirst coronavirus death with the
   number of infections rising to18.

   TheabductionWednesday of theveteran opposition leaderSoumailaCissehas
   also contributed to such fears.'¯

   Cisse, 70, who has been runner-up in three presidential
   elections,wascampaigning inthecentralarea of the country at the time.

   Cisseand six members of his team werekidnappedin an attack in which his
   bodyguard was killed.It is believed thatCisseand his entourage are
   being held by a jihadist group linked to al-Qaida.

   Cisse'sUnion for the Republic and Democracy urged supporterson
   Saturdayto go to polling stationsineven greater numbers.

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