Kissima Doukara was a Malian statesman who served as the Minister of Defense and Internal Security during the regime of

Moussa Traoré Moussa Traoré (25 September 1936 – 15 September 2020) was a Malian military officer, politician, and dictator who served as the second President of Mali from 1968 to 1991. As a lieutenant, he led the military ousting of President Modibo Ke� ...

. He was known for his corruption and tight grip on Malian security during his tenure, and was ousted by

in 1978.

Biography

Doukara was born to a Soninke family in 1934 in the village of Wolocoro, near Mourdiah,

French Sudan French Sudan (; ') was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was formall ...

. Doukara participated in the

1968 Malian coup d'état The 1968 Malian coup d'état was a bloodless Malian Armed Forces, military coup d'état, coup in Mali staged on 19 November 1968 against the government of President Modibo Keïta. The coup was led by Lieutenant (later Major General) Moussa Traoré ...

against

Modibo Keïta Modibo Keïta (4 June 1915 – 16 May 1977) was a Malian politician who served as the first President of Mali from 1960 to 1968. He espoused a form of African socialism. He was deposed in a coup d'état in 1968 by Moussa Traoré. Born and ra ...

, and was a founding member of the Military Committee for National Liberation. In 1970, he became Mali's Minister of Defense and Internal Security. Doukara helped arrest dissidents to the Military Committee, such as arresting

Yoro Diakité Yoro Diakité (17 October 1932 – 13 June 1973) was a Malian politician and military figure. Diakite was the Prime Minister of Mali and Head of the Provisional Government from 19 November 1968 to 18 September 1969, and then Vice President A v ...

and Malik Diallo in 1970. Doukara was put in charge of alleviating a famine caused by a drought in 1974. Like many other Malian officials, he embezzled huge sums of money from foreign aid funds. Around this same time, a border dispute with Upper Volta led to the strengthening of the Malian army and Doukara's political position. Doukara and

Tiécoro Bagayoko Tiécoro Bagayoko was a Malian soldier and attempted Coup d'état, putschist. He rose to power as a key figure in the 1968 Malian coup d'état, becoming the director of the National Security Services of Mali. As director, Bagayoko's regime was kn ...

were the most influential members of the Military Committee, and notorious for their abuses. Both Doukara and Bagayoko opposed Traore's plan for civilian rule, which included the establishment of the

Democratic Union of the Malian People The Democratic Union of the Malian People (, UDPM) was a military-backed political party in Mali. Its main organ was the daily newspaper ''L'Essor – La Voix du Peuple'', which had a circulation of 40,000. It was the largest newspaper in the coun ...

in 1976. Traore attempted to oust Doukara, citing corruption, in 1978. Other corrupt members of the committee opposed Traore, and Doukara and Bagayoko were instead charged with planning a coup and assassination of Traore. Doukara, Bagayoko, and Public Works Minister Karim Dembele were arrested by Traore in February 1978. Foreign Minister Charles Samba Sissoko, who had been Doukara and allies' pick for Traore's replacement, was arrested in March. Doukara was sentenced to death for political crimes, including embezzling nine million dollars in funds, but this was commuted to a life sentence by the Supreme Court in 1979. Doukara and Bagayoko were sentenced to the salt mines in

Taoudenni Taoudenni (also Taoudeni, Taoudénit, Taudeni, , ) is a remote salt mining center in the desert region of northern Mali, north of Timbuktu. It is the capital of Taoudénit Region. The salt is dug by hand from the bed of an ancient salt lake, c ...

, and were tortured to death in 1983. On August 19, 1983, Doukara was personally isolated into a room, where Malian soldiers took turns beating him. He was reportedly unfazed, and when he did not die by torture, he was killed through "infallible means." Doukara's body was discovered on September 19 by Captain Mamadou Belco N'Diaye, and he was transported by wheelbarrow into a small open grave.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doukara, Kissima 1934 births Malian military personnel Defense ministers of Mali People from Koulikoro Region 1983 deaths