RPM QUESTIONS DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 001373

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PINS PGOV ML
SUBJECT: RPM QUESTIONS DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR
2007 ELECTIONS


Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson for reasons
1.4 (b)

1.(U) Summary: On November 8 the Malian Government
distributed nearly 2 million dollars of public financing to
46 of Mali's 104 registered political parties in advance of
the 2007 presidential and legislative elections. The largest
amounts were given to the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
(ADEMA) and the Rally for Mali (RPM),receiving USD 618,000
and USD 467,000 respectively. Other major recipients include
the Union for Republic and Democracy (URD) with USD 146,000
and the National Committee for Democratic Initiatives (CNID)
with USD 120,000. RPM officials complained about the GOM's
method of allocating campaign finance funds, but seem
resigned to accept the decision. End Summary.

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GOM Distributes USD 2 Million in Campaign Funds
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2.(U) On November 8 the GOM announced that 46 of Mali's 104
registered political parties qualified for public campaign
financing, and will get more than 1 billion CFA (roughly USD
2 million) in advance of the 2007 presidential and
legislative elections. The formula to allocate funds takes
into account a party's participation in previous legislative
elections and the number of National Assembly and municipal
council seats held. According to Sina Aliou Thera, the
official in charge of public financing for political parties,
a party must hold a national convention or meeting, maintain
an operating headquarters and posses a bank account to
qualify for public financing. "Some parties," said Thera,
"change headquarters from one day to the next. Others cannot
be found by our office which lacks the logistical means to
locate them." Only Fifty-four parties out of the 104 applied
for funding.

3.(U) ADEMA is slated to receive approximately USD 618,000 in
campaign finance funds. The RPM, led by National Assembly
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, will receive USD 467,000.
A post-2002 ADEMA spin-off party, the Union for the Republic
and Democracy (URD),will receive USD 146,000. National
Assembly Vice President Mountaga Tall's party, the National
Committee for Democratic Initiatives (CNID),will receive USD
122,000.

4.(U) Funds allocations for the 2007 presidential and
legislative elections were based on results from the 2002
legislative elections and 2004 municipal elections. For
ADEMA and the RPM this detail is significant. ADEMA won more
than 50 National Assembly seats in 2002 but now holds only 36
due to the defection of 17 deputies to the Union for Republic
and Democracy (URD). The RPM currently holds 41 Assembly
seats. RPM officials interpreted this year's distribution of
campaign funds as yet another example of how the system was
stacked against them. "It isn't right that we give money to
all of the parties in Mali," said RPM secretary general Bocar
Treta. Treta suggested that only parties with actual seats
in the National Assembly should be eligible for public
financing.


5. (C) Comment: The RPM gained little traction complaining
about allegedly being shortchanged, as 467,000 dollars is
still a big pot of money in Mali. The RPM now seems resigned
to accept the decision rather than challenge it in court. Of
greater interest may be the allocation of ADEMA's funds. The
party is slowly and methodically coming apart at the seams
(septel) as senior members start to chart independent
political futures, perhaps resulting in bitter in-fighting
for control of the funds. On the other hand, the party
hierarchy officially supports President Toure, and will use
the money to support legislative campaigns in July...in
competition with the RPM, which may have already expended its
war chest on the presidential race in April.
McCulley