Honorary prize – 2011

Mali

Mayor of Bamako IV: the new political generation

Tags: politics, corruption, land abuse, transparency, participative management

«Good governance, transparency and a responsible management of our resources is a condition for our constituencies to trust us.»

«We encourage people to work with us for the development of their areas. For me, populations are mainly our bosses.»

Moussa Mara, transparent policy: Mayor of the District IV of Bamako (west of Bamako) since 2009, Moussa Mara, 36, was not intended to become a politician. Before engaging in the service of his fellow citizens, he was co-founder of Sec Diarra, an accounting firm, and director of the Ecole Superieure de Gestion (ESG) in Bamako.

Problem: Corruption, abuse of power and injustices are part of everyday Malians, although Mali is today a true African democracy. In the IV quarter of Bamako, the poor are the first victims of the old school of politicians who raided the town hall for ages. Menu to suffer injustice: land speculation, dispossessing the poor to the rich, revenue diversion, discretionary management.

Action: He entered politics when it intended nothing! This entry into politics is a cry of indignation. First in 2004, but his list will be eliminated by the court for spurious reasons. Then in 2007, where he was narrowly defeated by IBK, the outgoing president of the National Assembly. Finally in 2009, where he rose to mayorat and launches a series of actions: publishing a municipal newspaper, local participation in the municipal council, sanitation, under consultation with neighborhood leaders, religious leaders, organizations women and youth, the notabilities of neighborhoods ... It is now a candidate in the 2012 presidential election. His models: Nelson Mandela, "for his ability to forgive" , and Thomas Sankara, "a man who combined the action to the word, with its mistakes and excesses".

Harubuntu Dimension: Submit transparency where no qu'opacité reigned. Upon accession to mayorat, Moussa Mara breaks with past practices. He is determined to deal with transparency. It causes a real bolt from the political circle by publishing his declaration of assets while the law does not oblige. He dares, displaying a wealth of 442,354,554 CFA francs (about € 675,000). He then grasps the thorny issue of land with full transparency. This won him the support of the local population.

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