Mali’s Civilian Prime Minister Sacked For Criticising Military Rule

Mali’s civilian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maiga was on Wednesday sacked over his criticism of the military rulers.

Maiga’s sack was announced on Wednesday by the Secretary General of the presidential office, Alfousseyni Diawara.

“The duties of the prime minister and the members of the government are terminated,” according to a decree issued by Colonel Assimi Goita that was read out by Diawara, on state television ORTM.

The West African country, plagued by jihadist and separatist violence, has been led by the military since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Maiga, who was appointed by the military after the second coup, had been seen as isolated in his position as prime minister, with little room for maneuver.

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The dismissal came a few days after Maïga’s remarks at a rally in Bamako on Saturday, where he accused the junta of unilaterally and indefinitely postponing the transition process that was initially scheduled to begin on March 26.

Maïga also expressed frustration over lack of debate on the issue, claiming he has been left to rely on media reports for updates.

He said the confusion could pose “serious challenges and the risk of going backwards”.

While military leader Assimi Goïta had previously promised elections would be held in February, those plans have since been delayed “for technical reasons” with no new timeline provided.

Goïta was among the rebels to overthrow the government in 2020 and then became interim president after another coup in 2021.

He then announced a 24-month transition timetable starting in March 2022 to return Mali to civilian rule.

The government has yet to announce who will replace Maïga as prime minister.

Sixty-six years old Maiga, previously served as a minister on several occasions and ran three times as a presidential candidate.

He was the civilian face of the junta’s strategic pivot away from former colonial ruler France and toward closer political and military ties with Russia.

At the United Nations in September 2021, Maiga denounced what he called the “abandonment in mid-air” regarding the announced withdrawal of the French anti-jihadist force deployed in the country.

He said the withdrawal forced Mali to explore new avenues with other partners, at a time when the presence of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner loomed.