Mali junta sacks Prime Minister Maiga and his government

NEWS WIRES

20 November 2024 at 2:48 pm·1-min read

Mali's junta leader Assimi Goita attends the first ordinary summit of heads of state and governments of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in Niamey, Niger on July 6, 2024.

Mali's military junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita fired Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga and his government on Wednesday. A few days previously, Maiga, who was appointed by the military in 2021, had publicly condemned the lack of clarity regarding the country's promised transition to civilian rule.

Mali's junta chief on Wednesday sacked civilian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga and the government, days after Maiga issued a rare criticism of the military rulers.

"The duties of the prime minister and the members of the government are terminated," said a decree issued by Colonel Assimi Goita and read out by the secretary general of the presidency on state television station 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.

In June 2022, the junta promised to organise elections and hand over power to civilians by the end of March 2024, but later postponed elections indefinitely.

Maiga, who was appointed by the military in 2021, on Saturday publicly condemned the lack of clarity regarding the end of the transition to civilian rule.

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

His dismissal creates further uncertainty in an already troubled context.

(AFP)

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