With our correspondent in Bamako, Serge Daniel

The author of the bill, who sits on the National Transitional Council, the body that plays the role of National Assembly here, says he is starting from an observation: former presidents of Mali's National Assembly or any legislative body must be spared from living in precariousness once their mandate ends.

He then proposes, for them, pension, diplomatic passport, car and drivers and other significant benefits. For some, the ploy is too transparent. The unstated objective would be to include on the list of beneficiaries the current president of the CNT, Colonel Malick Diaw, one of the authors of the coup d'État of August 18.

For others, this is not the right time to vote on this law. Sidibé Hassane is also a member of the CNT. For him, "it is total absurdity to think of granting this kind of benefit during this transitional period". He adds: "One must serve the State and not serve oneself".

Another viewpoint, that of Malian political analyst Mohamed Ag Assory, "this proposal is impertinent given the economic context". For him, a law should have been proposed instead to eliminate all these exorbitant benefits granted to former dignitaries.