Malian Prime Minister, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga

Amidst tribal violence and protests in Mali, the country’s Prime Minister, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga has resigned alongside his entire cabinet.

The Friday resignation followed the outbreak of violent protests which trailed the massacre of some 160 Fulani herders by members of a rival community.

Four weeks after a brutal attack on the Fulani village in central Mali, the government led by Maiga offered their resignations to the country’s president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. 

A statement released from the President’s office said President Keita has accepted the resignation of the Prime Minister and that of the members of government and that Maiga’s successor will be named after consultations with political forces in the country.

Although Keita’s office did not give reasons for the resignations, the move comes a day after lawmakers discussed a possible motion of no confidence in the government, with Maiga’s opponents criticizing the government for failing to disarm Islamist militias and stem violence in the country.