Ousted Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was removed by the military in 2020 has died at age 76.
His death was announced by state officials on Sunday.
The cause of death is not yet clear but a former advisor said he died at home in Bamako.
Known for his white flowing robes and a tendency to slur his words, Keita won a resounding election victory in 2013.
He ran the West African country from September 2013 to August 2020, when Islamist insurgents overran large areas, draining his popularity.
Disputed legislative elections, rumors of corruption, and a sputtering economy also fueled public anger and drew tens of thousands of people onto the streets of the capital Bamako demanding his resignation in 2020.
He was eventually forced out by a military coup, the leaders of which still rule Mali despite strong international objections.
“Very saddened to learn of the death of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita,” tweeted Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop. “It is with great emotion that I bow before his memory.”
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri