Mali’s ruling military junta has arrested former Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga, intensifying a crackdown on political opponents in the West African nation. Maiga, who led the government from 2021 until his dismissal in November 2024, was taken into custody on Tuesday after being charged with corruption. Earlier this month, he had been questioned over alleged misuse of public property. His removal from office came just days after he publicly criticised the junta for postponing long-promised elections. Since leaving office, Maiga has continued to voice opposition to the regime.
His arrest follows that of another former prime minister, Moussa Mara, who was detained on August 1 on accusations of “damaging the state’s credibility” after publicly supporting jailed critics of the junta. Mali has been under military rule since 2020, when Colonel Assimi Goita and fellow officers seized power in a coup. They staged a second coup in 2021, consolidating their grip on the state. In May 2025, the junta dissolved all political parties, further eroding democratic space. The following month, Goita was granted an additional five years in office, despite earlier promises to restore civilian rule by March 2024.
Rights groups have warned that the arrests of prominent political figures signal an escalating suppression of dissent, raising fears of deeper political instability in a country already battling a protracted jihadist insurgency and severe humanitarian challenges.
