Mountaga Tall

Mountaga Tall (born December 10, 1956) is a Malian politician who is President of the National Congress for Democratic Initiative (CNID)[1] and has served in the government of Mali as Minister of the Digital Economy and Communication since 2016; he was Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research from 2014 to 2016. Previously he was First Vice-President of the National Assembly of Mali from 2002 to 2007.

Political career

Tall was born in Ségou. A lawyer by profession,[1] he founded CNID and ran as the party's candidate in the 1992 presidential election, when he placed third with 11.41% of the votes, after Alpha Oumar Konaré (ADEMA-PASJ) and Tiéoulé Konaté (US-RDA).[2] He served as a Deputy in the National Assembly from 1992 to 1997.[1]

The CNID, along with other opposition parties, boycotted the presidential election held on May 11, 1997. On May 12, Tall said that Konaré, who had been re-elected, was not legitimately President; Tall's office was attacked with molotov cocktails and badly damaged on the same day.[3] Tall and CNID participated in a boycott of the July 1997 parliamentary election.[4] He was one of many opposition leaders who were arrested on August 9, 1997, in connection with the killing of a police officer at a rally on August 8; they were charged on August 14.[5]

At a CNID party congress held in Bamako in early March 2002, Tall was nominated without opposition as the party's candidate for the April 2002 presidential election.[6] He won 3.86% of the votes in the first round of the presidential election and took fifth place.[2] In the July 2002 parliamentary election, Tall was part of a candidate list of the Espoir 2002 coalition, which included CNID, in Ségou constituency,[7] and he was elected.[8][9] Following this election, he became the First Vice-President of the National Assembly,[10] remaining in that post through the five-year parliamentary term (2002–2007).[11]

When the Pan-African Parliament began meeting in March 2004, Tall became one of Mali's five members.[12]

Tall was again elected to a seat in the National Assembly in the July 2007 parliamentary election, running at the head of an ADEMA-CNID-URD list in Ségou.[13] Although the list did not win a majority in its district in the first round,[14] in the second round it won 63.89%.[13] At the beginning of the new National Assembly's term on September 3, Tall was a candidate for the position of President of the National Assembly, but he was defeated by ADEMA President Dioncounda Traoré; Tall received 31 votes while Traoré received 111.[15][16]

In addition to serving in the National Assembly, Tall was also a member of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States.[17]

In the November–December 2013 parliamentary election, Tall sought re-election to the National Assembly as a candidate in Ségou but was defeated in the second round of voting.[18]

Under President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Tall was appointed to the government as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research on 11 April 2014.[19] He was moved to the post of Minister of the Digital Economy and Communication, as well as Government Spokesman, on 7 July 2016.[20][21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Présidentielles: 24 sur la ligne de départ", L'Essor, April 8, 2002 (French).
  2. 1 2 Elections in Mali, African Elections Database.
  3. ↑ "Mali: Opposition "satisfied" with poll boycott; office of leader attacked", Radio France Internationale, May 13, 1997.
  4. ↑ "Mali: "Radical opposition" to boycott 20th July election", Africa No 1 radio, July 1, 1997.
  5. ↑ "Mali - Leaders charged with death of policeman", IRIN-WA Daily Media Update 30-97, August 15, 1997.
  6. ↑ "Mali: New candidate joins presidential race", Africa No 1 radio, March 4, 2002.
  7. ↑ "ARRET N°02-141/CC-EL du 22 juin 2002 portant liste définitive des candidatures validées pour l'élection des députés (scrutin du 14 juillet 2002)", L'Essor, June 26, 2002 (French).
  8. ↑ "Nouvelle Assemblée nationale: va et vient", L'Essor, August 13, 2002 (French).
  9. ↑ "Programme summary of Radio France Internationale news 1230 gmt 15 Jul 02", Radio France Internationale, July 15, 2002.
  10. ↑ Page on the National Assembly at Malian presidency website (French).
  11. ↑ Naomi Schwarz, "President's Coalition Wins Large Majority in Mali Legislative Elections", VOA News, July 25, 2007.
  12. ↑ List of members of the Pan-African Parliament (as of March 15, 2004), African Union website.
  13. 1 2 "Liste provisoire des députés élus au 2è tour", L'Essor, number 15,998, July 26, 2007 (French).
  14. ↑ Mamadi Tounkara, "Qui d’entre eux tombera au second tour ?", Nouvel Horizon, July 4, 2007 (French).
  15. ↑ "Dioncounda Traoré élu président de l'Assemblée nationale : Presque un plébiscite !", L'Essor, number 16,026, September 4, 2007 (French).
  16. ↑ "Mali: Dioncounda Traoré élu président de l'Assemblée nationale", Agence France-Presse, September 3, 2007 (French).
  17. ↑ "Liste des députés Membres du Parlement de la CEDEAO", National Assembly website (French).
  18. ↑ Abdoulaye Diakité, "Après sa défaite aux législatives à Ségou : Me Tall décide d’accepter les résultats malgré les irrégularités constatées", Malijet, 20 December 2013 (French).
  19. ↑ "Mali : le nouveau gouvernement formé, le ministre de la Réconciliation remplacé", Jeune Afrique, 12 April 2014 (French).
  20. ↑ "Liste du nouveau gouvernement", L'Essor, 8 July 2016 (French).
  21. ↑ "Mali: une membre de la CMA dans le nouveau gouvernement malien", Radio France Internationale, 8 July 2016 (French).
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