Mali’s civilian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maiga, has urged the country’s military rulers to address the indefinite postponement of elections and clarify the path forward for the transition to civilian rule. This rare critique of the junta was made during a speech to supporters of his M5-RFP movement on Saturday.
The junta, which has ruled Mali following coups in 2020 and 2021, initially pledged to organise elections and transfer power to civilians by March 2024. However, elections were postponed indefinitely without government consultation.
“The transition was supposed to happen on March 26, 2024. But it was postponed indefinitely, unilaterally, without debate within the government,” Maiga said, expressing concern about the lack of transparency.
He warned that the ongoing uncertainty risks undermining the government’s effectiveness, saying, “The spectre of confusion and conflation hangs over the transition, with… the risk of serious challenges and the risk of going backwards.”
While calling for open dialogue on the transition’s future, Maiga praised the armed forces and emphasised the need for national unity and respect for authority to maintain stability.
This is not the first time Maiga’s M5-RFP movement has challenged the junta. In May, the group criticised the military rulers for missing the deadline to return to civilian rule. A close ally of Maiga faced imprisonment for signing the statement, but Maiga himself retained his position as prime minister.
Mali’s junta has responded to dissent with crackdowns, including the arrest of 11 critics in June for allegedly plotting against the authorities. The country remains mired in a political and security crisis that has persisted since 2012, with insurgent violence, separatist conflicts in the north, and internal instability continuing to take a toll.
