Malian music star Salif Keïta has been appointed advisor to the head of the junta, Colonel Assimi Goïta, says a decree issued Monday, August 14, 2023.

The artist is part of a list of five people named “special advisers” to the Malian head of state, says the decree dated August 11. The text does not specify the role of Salif Keïta.

The great name of afropop and World Music, Salif Keïta, 73, also stands out for his political commitment and, since the advent of the colonels following a putsch in 2020, for his support of the junta.

He was appointed one week after the announcement of his resignation from an assembly set up by the military as a legislative body.

“I will always remain the undisputed friend of the military of my country,” he said in his letter of resignation read in the gallery.

Mr. Keïta publicly expressed his support for the sovereignty discourse of the authorities. He openly called a few months ago for the departure of the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA), since officially announced by the UN Security Council.

Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by jihadist expansion and a deep multidimensional crisis. Violence from the north has spread to central Burkina Faso and neighbouring Niger.

Senegalese investigative journalist Pape Alé Niang was arrested on 6 November at his home and taken into police custody. He is the director of the news site Dakar Matin critique du pouvoir in Senegal. Pape Alé Niang is a journalist famous for his regular chronicles of the news that Senegalese listen to.

Collateral damage on collateral damage! The «Sweat Beauty» case has not finished creating surprises. For this umpteenth arrest, it is around investigative journalist Pape Alé Niang to pay the costs, he was arrested on Sunday, November 6 and detained at the central police station of Dakar. He is accused of having an investigation report from the gendarmerie on the file between the pastef leader Ousmane Sonko and masseuse Adji Sarr. According to one of his lawyers, Mr Ciré Clédor Ly, the police arrested him on the orders of the Public Prosecutor.

In addition, a videographer from the Buur News website on behalf of Fatou Dione was the victim of “police violence” on Saturday, 5 November during a banned demonstration in Dakar. She “fainted when the police came to evacuate her with unprecedented brutality”. This demonstration was the initiative of a collective formed especially of activists. They demanded the release of “political detainees” most of whom are close to the opposition.

About 20 arrests took place during the demonstration and the arrested persons are still detained according to the local press.
Senegal is ranked 73rd out of 180 countries in the 2022 World Press Freedom Index compiled by the NGO Reporters Without Borders.

It is through a video of more than five minutes that the international reggae artist Alpha Blondy spoke on his facebook page this Saturday, November 4, 2022. He ruled on France’s decision to ban Nathalie Yam on its territory because of her hostile ideas towards the metropolis, according to the French authorities. The Ivorian singer did not go there with half words: “In France there are people who despise us, who speak ill of Africans, who insult us with their insolence, their arrogance… They have the right, but why not Nathalie Yamb. It’s not fair! It’s worse than FrançAfrique. Get your act together, let’s get our act together; let’s not push people to make decisions like the Algerians do: “the suitcase or the coffin”. For us, Nathalie Yamb is a sedative that helps us rebuild! Africa needs it! This economic slavery, this slavery, has only lasted too long, it must stop! Mr. Macron, please correct the tire, please! Thank you. I’m Alpha Blondy.”

The transcript of his full message can be read here:
I would like to speak today about the sanction taken by the French government against my sister Nathalie Yamb. I find that unfair and illegal for a country like France where there is freedom of expression. Nathalie Yamb has the right as an African to defend her continent and her people, a people that needs to be rebuilt. Nathalie Yamb is among those who are rebuilding the African mentality that has been deconstructed for more than 5 centuries, I am not talking about Arab-Muslim slavery, so we are going towards 1200 years.

When Charlie Hebdo was a victim of what we all saw, you took steps to defend freedom of expression, so why doesn’t Nathalie have the right to defend her people, to help her people regain confidence in themselves, to have a little dignity, To call the heads of state to raise their heads even if they are victims of false blackmail.

She is right that Mali has the right to choose its friends. It is not up to France to dictate to French-speaking African countries which ones they must attend or not. Your history with Russia is none of our business, we don’t have to follow your lead. Mali is an African country and Nathalie Yamb is an African who speaks to Africans. When she criticizes Alassane Ouattara, it is her right as an African to speak to her African brother. When she criticizes Mr. Macky Sall, she also has the right to criticize…. Nathalie Yamb has the right to say what she says and you don’t have the right to forbid her to go to France, don’t push too hard. We need her words, it heals us! It heals our wounds. We must not gag her. She did not say to attack the embassies of France, she told the Africans that to take dignity, to take a thickness, she has the right to say that.

In France there are people who despise us, who speak ill of Africans, who insult us with their insolence, their arrogance… They have the right, but why not Nathalie Yamb. It’s not fair! I would like to ask Mr. Macron, you said that FrançAfrique is over, but what is this story about bagging Nathalie Yamb? It’s worse than FrançAfrique. Get your act together, get our act together! Let us not push people to make decisions like Algerians do: “the suitcase or the coffin”. For us, Nathalie Yamb is a sedative that helps us rebuild! Africa needs it! This economic slavery, this slavery, has only lasted too long, it must stop! Mr. Macron, please correct the tire, please! Thank you. I’m Alpha Blondy.