Coup in Niger (Three): The start of a constitutional government (daily updates)

Post One
Post Two

Please read the previous posts with comments as updates are in the comments

Victoria Nuland visited the Military Junta in Niger. She was not treated with much respect, was allowed to see some ‘senior officials’, and could not speak to either the leader or the deposed ex-president, Mohamed Bazoum.

Nuland: “Traveled to Niamey to express grave concern at the undemocratic attempts to seize power and urged a return to constitutional order.”

It is stunning. The US Secretary of State Blinken is generally simply mocked in the common discussion space, but Nuland is deeply and viscerally hated.

She was late to the party though. Niger is at work returning to a constitutional order and while Nuland was taking threats out of her cookie bag, this happened:

Niger junta appoints economist and previous finance minister as prime minister

Niger’s military government has appointed former finance minister Ali Maman Lamine Zein as prime minister of the transitional government and also made changes to the country’s military leadership.

Ali Maman Lamine Zein previously served as finance minister under President Mamadou Tandja, as well as various positions in the management of the African Development Bank.

Suddenly and overnight the military junta has reformed itself, it has the start of a transitional government (and this will lead to elections).

Go Home Vicky!  We can organize our own Coups now and do not need you for this any longer.  You’ve been replaced in the African Coup Belt.

Maria Zakharova picks on the humorous tone:   “Victoria Nuland thought that with Niger you can do the same as with Ukraine: put in a plastic bag of buns and fool? Such a banana regime, as in Kyiv, is no longer to be found.”

Burkina Faso, Mali offer support in Niger trip

Delegations from Mali’s and Burkina Faso’s military governments have assured Niger’s military coup leaders of their full support in a solidarity visit to Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani in Niamey.

It comes as the regional bloc Ecowas is set to have a summit on Thursday to discuss the next move against Niger’s junta.

Mali’s military government spokesperson Abdoulaye Maiga on Monday described the Ecowas sanctions on Niger as “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane”. He said Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have been dealing with the “negative socio-economic, security, political and humanitarian consequences of Nato’s hazardous adventure in Libya for over a decade”.

The Mali envoy also encouraged Nigeriens to be “resilient and stoic” through these “difficult times” and assured them of victory and their unwavering support.

And then, Prigozin weighed in:  “PMC Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in the lights of the Nuland visit to Niger gave another interview regarding the situation. Here are some excerpts from his comments:

▪️Terrorists are afraid of Wagner.

▪️The US are doing everything, including recognizing the government (meaning Niger), just not to meet with Wagner.

▪️Wagner will always fight for justice and help those, who fight for their sovereignty and rights of their people.”

Ecowas holds summits to look important but it is being cut apart and dirty leaders are being exposed and put into the light quite brutally.   They are still threatening military action and crying that the coup is illegitimate.  In the meantime, their own legitimacy suffers from being exposed:

Nigeria – Bola Tinubu became president via an election marred with allegations of vote fraud. His election victory is facing a legal challenge by the opposition.

Senegal – President Macky Sall is accused of using authoritarian methods to cripple political opponents. Main opposition leader Ousmane Sonko is in jail and his party dissolved over politically-motivated charges. Clashes between Sonko supporters and security forces have killed at least 16 with many suspecting the real number to much higher.

Ivory Coast – In 2022, President Alassane Ouatarra was sworn in for a third term, violating the constitution’s two-term limit. The move resulted in weeks of protests, leaving dozens dead.

This is what we know now and it is still miraculous to me that we don’t have as yet incredible violence.  The rest of Africa must be speaking for a peaceful transition on the QT.   It is as if a recognition sunk in across Africa with this new group of leaders.  “It is time to bring our continent together and do our business cleanly, responsibly and transparently and clean up the terrorist influences.  This is what the global majority expects from us.”

It is time to hope for Africa, and this time, the hope is not based on sugar spun candy, but I see a real shimmer of reality shining through for the Continent.  Having said that, it is not over yet and reports warn of military forces being deployed on all sides.