Mali fires govt amid criticism of delayed civilian transition

Mali’s ruling military govt dismissed Prime Minister Choguel Maiga and his entire government on Wednesday, just days after Maiga publicly criticized the regime for failing to transition to civilian rule as promised.

“The president of the republic, having regard to the constitution and the transition charter, has terminated the duties of the prime minister and the members of the government,” announced Alfousseyni Diawara, the presidency’s secretary-general, in a statement on state television in Bamako.

Over the weekend, Maiga had censured the military leaders for missing a March 26 deadline to hand over power and for indefinitely postponing elections. His dismissal highlights the growing tensions within the govt, which has ruled Mali since then-Colonel Assimi Goita seized power in a 2020 coup.

Goita, who was promoted to general in October, initially justified the coup by blaming the ousted civilian government for failing to address the Islamist insurgency plaguing the nation. Since taking control, the govt has severed ties with Western allies, instead aligning more closely with Russia, including deploying Russian paramilitary forces to support its operations.

The dismissal of Maiga underscores the govt’s struggles to maintain legitimacy as international pressure mounts for a return to democratic governance.