Mali’s Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maïga, was dismissed on Wednesday, November 20, as announced in a decree read on national television by the presidency’s secretary-general, Alfouseyni Diawara.
The three-article decree, signed by transitional president Assimi Goïta, confirmed Maïga’s removal from office.
Maïga, who was appointed by the military in 2021 following Mali’s second coup within a year, had publicly criticized the junta just days earlier on November 16.
Speaking during ceremonies commemorating the 2023 recapture of Kidal, Maïga, dressed in military attire despite being a civilian, expressed frustration over being excluded from critical decisions, particularly regarding the timeline for the country’s political transition.
His remarks sparked widespread protests across the capital and other cities, with demonstrators demanding his resignation. Meanwhile, a faction of the Malian military, known as the Collective of Military Defense (CDM), accused Maïga of “treason” and “denunciation” for his criticism of the ruling generals.
