Niger Army to Rule for Nine Months After Coup
April 14, 1999 - 0:0
NIAMEY Niger's army has reappointed civilian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mayaki, but stands poised to rule over the West African country for a transitional nine months after the killing of the president. The new military National Reconciliation Council (CRN), led by major Daouda Mallam Wanke, reinstated Makayi late Monday and has vowed to restore civilian rule in nine months' time. However, the council, led by Wanke as head of state and made up of low-to-middle-ranking army officers, will run most affairs of state.
Wanke was head of the presidential guard whose men assassinated President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara on Friday. Political parties were Tuesday allowed to resume their activities after an official suspension declared Saturday. A constitutional referendum as well as general and presidential elections will be organised according to a calendar to be announced at a later date, the CRN announced. Throughout the transition period, the CRN will retain legislative and executive powers, according to a broadcast decree deemed to have constitional value.
The army announced Sunday it had siezed power, two days after Mainassara was shot to death by the presidential guard at a military base, where he had been about to board a helicopter after reported pressure to stand down. The prime minister will appoint by decree other members of the government as well as other military and civilian posts. Mayaki, who has held his job since December 1997, was the first to address the nation after Mainassara's death, which he described as an unfortunate accident.
Witnesses, however, said that Mainassara came under a hail of bullets and was finished off by the presidential guard when he was seen still to be alive. He also announced the dissolution of the national assembly and the suspension of political party activity. According to the CRN, its choice of prime minister was made with the agreement of parties across the political spectrum.
These parties, who have met major Wanke on several occasions over the last few days, expressed their desire for the rapid formation of the government of broad consensus promised by the military. This would prevent, they claimed, Niger being cut off from foreign aid. On Tuesday, France, Niger's leading source of aid, announced it had cut off military and civilian cooperation with the donor-dependent state.
On Monday, the CRN met ambassadors and other diplomats accredited to Niamey, including those of the United States, France and Nigeria. Mainassara's killing and the coup have been unanimously condemned in Africa, notably in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, Libya and the Central African Republic. However, not a single head of state turned up for the late president's funeral. Washington called Monday on the new junta to restore constitutional rule and move quickly to effect a peaceful transition to a democratically elected, civilian government.
Paris said it was examining the consequences to be drawn from the coup. On Monday night, Wanke received delegates of Tuareg rebels who fought the government bewtween 1991 and 1995. Mainassara came to power in a Janauary 1996 coup helped by Wanke and was elected president later that year. (AFP)
Wanke was head of the presidential guard whose men assassinated President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara on Friday. Political parties were Tuesday allowed to resume their activities after an official suspension declared Saturday. A constitutional referendum as well as general and presidential elections will be organised according to a calendar to be announced at a later date, the CRN announced. Throughout the transition period, the CRN will retain legislative and executive powers, according to a broadcast decree deemed to have constitional value.
The army announced Sunday it had siezed power, two days after Mainassara was shot to death by the presidential guard at a military base, where he had been about to board a helicopter after reported pressure to stand down. The prime minister will appoint by decree other members of the government as well as other military and civilian posts. Mayaki, who has held his job since December 1997, was the first to address the nation after Mainassara's death, which he described as an unfortunate accident.
Witnesses, however, said that Mainassara came under a hail of bullets and was finished off by the presidential guard when he was seen still to be alive. He also announced the dissolution of the national assembly and the suspension of political party activity. According to the CRN, its choice of prime minister was made with the agreement of parties across the political spectrum.
These parties, who have met major Wanke on several occasions over the last few days, expressed their desire for the rapid formation of the government of broad consensus promised by the military. This would prevent, they claimed, Niger being cut off from foreign aid. On Tuesday, France, Niger's leading source of aid, announced it had cut off military and civilian cooperation with the donor-dependent state.
On Monday, the CRN met ambassadors and other diplomats accredited to Niamey, including those of the United States, France and Nigeria. Mainassara's killing and the coup have been unanimously condemned in Africa, notably in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, Libya and the Central African Republic. However, not a single head of state turned up for the late president's funeral. Washington called Monday on the new junta to restore constitutional rule and move quickly to effect a peaceful transition to a democratically elected, civilian government.
Paris said it was examining the consequences to be drawn from the coup. On Monday night, Wanke received delegates of Tuareg rebels who fought the government bewtween 1991 and 1995. Mainassara came to power in a Janauary 1996 coup helped by Wanke and was elected president later that year. (AFP)