Mali’s head of the military, Colonel Assimi Goita, dismissed both Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga and his government on Wednesday following the PM’s rare criticism of the military rulers.
“The duties of the prime minister and the members of the government are terminated,” Goita stated in a decree read out on state television station ORTM by the Secretary General of the Presidency.
On November 16, during a meeting with members of the June 5 Movement – Rally of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP), Maiga criticized the lack of transparency in the governmental transition process. He pointed out that the transition, initially slated to end on March 26, 2024, had been indefinitely postponed without consultation or discussion within the government.
“This is not normal in a government,” he added, noting that as prime minister, he was not informed about the junta’s decision to postpone elections. He also warned of the potential risks the ongoing uncertainty could pose to the country.
Prior to his dismissal, there had been calls for Maiga to step down following his outrage against the military leaders.
Maiga’s remarks had already sparked calls for his resignation, including from a pro-military group, the Collective for the Defence of the Military, which demanded his resignation within 72 hours, accusing him of “betrayal.”
His dismissal, however, had been widely anticipated due to growing signs of a rift within the ruling establishment over recent months. In June, Maiga publicly supported a document by one of his allies who had been arrested for criticizing the military’s extended hold on power.
Goita appointed Maiga prime minister in 2021, following the military coup that ousted transitional president Bah N’Daw.