On Tuesday, July 11th, during the presentation of the report from the commission overseeing and evaluating the National Refoundation Forum, the interim Prime Minister of Mali made remarks, albeit unflattering, about governance in Mali. It is worth noting that he himself is the orchestrator of this governance.
This speech is in stark contrast to the propaganda usually espoused by Choguel Kokalla Maïga on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. The same person who had accused France of “abandoning the fight against jihadists mid-flight” showed a very realistic and pragmatic approach in his comments about the governance of the Malian military during the transition.
“Despite all the talk, all the rhetoric, patriotism (…) citizens are looking for food. (…) Patriotic and nationalist speeches can hold up for a year, two years, three years. In the long run, it is the economy that holds up,” declared the interim Prime Minister of Mali, whose government, however, suppresses any dissident voices. A few months ago, the influencer “Rose la vie chère” was imprisoned for “inciting revolt.” And her speech was not far from that of Choguel: the high cost of living in Mali.
“All those who support us today, if they don’t have food tomorrow, they will be the ones throwing stones at us. It is better to work and leave in time before being driven out,” said the sixty-year-old who was forced to take a few months’ vacation in August 2022 due to a stroke.
This speech highlights the shortcomings of the transition: the inability to provide solutions to development problems. If Choguel Kokalla Maïga realizes that true independence and sovereignty lie in economic independence and national development, will his remarks find a favorable response among the coup-making military who are highly averse to criticism?
