“Allô Klédu,” a popular call-in show on Radio Klédu, resumed broadcasting on September 1, 2026 under strict new conditions, after Mali’s High Authority for Communication (HAC) suspended it for two months over callers’ criticism of the country’s governance.
Until its suspension, the programme had become a popular live forum for citizens to discuss public affairs, and in recent months many callers had used it to voice frustration over the country’s governance.
Under the conditions set by the HAC, Radio Klédu must now immediately cut-off any caller whose comments are deemed a threat to public order or national security. The station must also identify callers’ full names and locations, ensure a greater diversity of participants and keep remarks that incite hatred off the air.
The HAC suspended “Allô Klédu” after its broadcasts on May 8, 13 and 14, 2026, where callers raised concerns over fuel shortages, recurrent power outages and the governance of the country. Some callers also accused the authorities of benefiting from the security crisis and being unwilling to end it. The suspension took effect on June 25, 2026, and ended on August 25, 2026.
According to the HAC, the programme had become a platform for statements that undermine public order, national security and the credibility of public institutions. It also criticised the station’s management for failing to exercise adequate editorial rigour and impartiality in moderating callers’ contributions, arguing that some of the allegations made by callers were aired without evidence, fact-checking or editorial balance.
Before imposing the suspension, the HAC held discussions with Bakary Cissé, Interim Director of Radio Klédu, and Souleymane Coulibaly, a journalist and interim host of the programme, over its concerns about the programme’s content. However, the regulator said management did not take sufficient action to regulate or correct certain remarks made on air, and it subsequently announced the suspension.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) welcomes the resumption of “Allô Klédu” but is deeply concerned about the conditions imposed on Radio Klédu.
Requiring the station to identify the names and locations of callers who air grievances and question public policy could have a chilling effect and lead to self-censorship, as callers may find it risky to express themselves freely knowing they are being monitored.
The MFWA calls on the HAC and the Malian authorities to ensure that the conditions imposed on the programme do not unduly restrict citizens’ ability to express their views on matters of public interest.
