Mali’s political scene has been shaken up once again. The country’s interim leader, Colonel Assimi Goita, made a bold move this week by firing Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga. The announcement, delivered on state TV, also revealed a surprising replacement—government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga is now taking over as the new prime minister.

This dramatic change comes after Choguel Maiga openly criticized the military authorities for delaying Mali’s return to civilian rule. The criticism...