The cabal that seized power in Mali has said it wants a military-led transitional body to rule for three years as it has agreed to release the ousted president, Keita.

The disclosure was made by a source in a visiting West African delegation and the rebel soldiers yesterday.

Recall that last week’s coup followed months of protests calling for Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign as public disgruntlement with the government grew over the failing economy and a vicious Islamist insurgency.

Speaking with newsmen, a source in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation having talked with the junta said:

“The junta has affirmed that it wants a three-year transition to review the foundations of the Malian state. This transition will be directed by a body led by a soldier, who will also be head of state.”  

“The government will also be predominantly composed of soldiers” under the proposal, the source said on condition of anonymity.

An official of the junta confirmed that “the three-year transition would have a military president and a government mostly composed of soldiers”.

The source and the official said that the soldiers have agreed to free Keita, who was detained along with other political leaders since the coup on Tuesday, and he would be able to return to his home in the capital Bamako.

The source from ECOWAS added that Prime minister Boubou Cisse, who has been detained along with Keita at a military base would be moved to a secure residence in the city.

The junta has made it known that it has “completed the work” of the protesters and has sworn to stage elections “within a reasonable time”.

However, Mali’s neighbours have requested that Keita be reinstated, adding that the purpose of the visit by the delegation from the regional ECOWAS bloc was to help “ensure the immediate return of constitutional order”.

The ECOWAS talks are set to resume in Bamako on Monday after two days of negotiations with the junta.

Head of the delegation Nigerian ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, told newsmen as Sunday’s discussions drew to a close that a number of agreements have been reached but the committee was yet to reach agreement on all the issues. He said both the regional delegation and the military officers “want the country to move on” after the coup as they were discussing the way forward.

ECOWAS Commission chief, Jean-Claude Kassi Brouh has however expressed hope over the weekend that it would be possible to “finalise everything” on Monday, underlining the military’s “strong will to move forward.”