President Uhuru Kenyatta has broken his silence over the successful coup that befell his Mali counterpart President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita who was seized by army generals on Tuesday, August 18.
Speaking during a virtual meeting with other African heads of state led by Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, August 20, Kenyatta joined in condemning the soldiers behind the mutiny.
They demanded the immediate release of President Keita and senior members of his administration among them the country's Prime Minister Boubou Cissé.
President Uhuru Kenyatta urged for a "speedy, peaceful and democratic" resolution of the crisis while President Ramaphosa called for dialogue to restore peace and stability in the West African country.
Shortly after the coup was executed, the Mali president resigned and dissolved Parliament.
The plotters stated that they had no interest in power adding that they would conduct a General Election within a reasonable period.
Colonel-Major Ismael Wague, a spokesman for the coup leaders dubbed the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, explained that they acted to prevent Mali from falling further into chaos.
40 out of 54 countries in Africa have witnessed coups many of which have been successful. Bukinafaso leads with the highest number at 10.
Of the 40 countries that have had coups, Morocco, Kenya, Cameroon are the three countries where none have been successful.
Kenya's first coup attempt was in 1971 during the reign of the late Jomo Kenyatta.
The late Major General Joseph Ndolo, the head of the military at the time, was said to have been the man behind the plot which was thwarted and his accomplices arrested while he resigned.
Years later in 1982, rebel Airforce soldiers again tried to overthrow the government of the late President Daniel Moi.
The Airforce lacked the support of the Army which quelled the coup in a matter of hours as Moi hid to avoid death.
