Mali: Civilian prime minister ousted after criticism of junta, cabinet dismissed
Mali’s transitional government has dismissed Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga and dissolved the cabinet following his public criticism of the ruling military junta.
The decision was announced on national television by Alfouseyni Diawara, secretary-general of the presidency, who read a decree signed by interim president Colonel Assimi Goïta.
Appointed in 2021 after Mali’s second coup that year, Maïga had served under the junta until his dismissal.
During a November 16 event commemorating the 2023 recapture of Kidal, Maïga, a civilian wearing military attire, expressed frustration over being sidelined from critical decisions, particularly those concerning the country’s political transition.
His comments, seen as a rare act of dissent within the government, sparked public protests across Mali, with demonstrators in the capital and other cities demanding his resignation.
Adding to the controversy, the Collective of Military Defense (CDM), a faction within the armed forces, accused Maïga of “treason” and “denunciation” for his remarks, deepening tensions between the civilian and military wings of the transitional administration.
The political shake-up leaves Mali at a crossroads as it navigates its transition to civilian rule, with concerns mounting over internal discord within the leadership.
