His opponent Soumaila Cisse maintains the run-off election was rigged and rising Islamist extremism has sparked inter-communal violence in his country.

United Nations peacekeepers backed by French and other Western troops regard Mali as their deadliest theatre of conflict in the world.

They can’t stop the deteriorating security situation demonstrated by the disruption of elections where officials were chased away from at least 500 polling stations.

The jihadis have been recruiting heavily from the Fulani tribe, causing deadly fights with the Dogon tribe, who are also losing young men to the terrorists.

Small wonder Ibrahim Boubacar Keita listed security as his number one priority in his presidential inauguration speech.

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