Juali’s military leader, Col. Assimi Goïta, has dismissed Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga and his government.
The move comes after Maïga issued rare criticism of the junta, questioning its transparency and commitment to the promised return to democracy.
In a decree read on state television, Col. Goïta announced that the duties of the prime minister and the government were “terminated.”
Mali has endured years of jihadist and separatist violence, leading to military coups in 2020 and 2021. The junta had pledged to hold elections and restore civilian rule by March 2024 but later postponed the vote.
Tensions between the military leadership and Maïga have been escalating. Speaking to supporters on Saturday, Maïga criticized the lack of transparency in managing the transition.
“The transition was supposed to end on 26 March, 2024, but it has been postponed indefinitely, unilaterally, without debate within the government,” he said.
“This is not normal in a government,” he added, revealing that as prime minister, he was not informed about the junta’s decision to postpone elections.
Choguel Kokalla Maïga’s dismissal as Mali’s prime minister has underscored deepening tensions within the country’s ruling military leadership and raised concerns about the transition process.
Before his removal, Maïga had warned of the risks and challenges posed by the ongoing confusion surrounding the transition.
His public criticism of the junta’s lack of transparency drew sharp backlash, with the pro-military group, Collective for the Defence of the Military, demanding his resignation within 72 hours and labeling his remarks a betrayal.
The split within the leadership had been evident for months. In June, Maïga endorsed a document by a supporter arrested for criticizing the military’s extended hold on power.
Appointed prime minister in 2021 after the junta’s second coup, Maïga, 66, has a long political history, including multiple ministerial roles and three presidential campaigns.
His ousting has fueled speculation about his political future, with some suggesting he might emerge as an opposition figure challenging the junta in future elections.
Local and regional reactions to his dismissal have been mixed. While his supporters urge him to pursue the presidency, others view him as a traitor.
The junta, which initially enjoyed widespread support after seizing power three years ago, now faces growing scrutiny as uncertainty looms over Mali’s promised return to civilian rule.
It followed huge demonstrations against former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, amid complaints of corruption, economic uncertainty and insecurity.
The junta has however struggled to contain jihadist violence – and there is growing anger from a large part of the population against the transitional government.