did not participate in the vote. The UFC refused to vote on the grounds that there was not enough time given to analyze the programme; it also felt that, because 10 UFC deputies requested that the vote on the programme be conducted through secret ballot, it was a violation of procedure to not use a secret ballot. Mally submitted his resignation on 5 September 2008, and Gnassingbé accepted it. According to a press release from the presidency, "the main task of [Mally's] government was to renew our country's links with the international community", and it said that Mally's government had accomplished this goal, opening Togo "to new opportunities". Gnassingbé congratulated Mally and his government. Gilbert Houngbo was appointed to replace Mally on 7 September, and he succeeded Mally on 8 September. There were suggestions that Mally was replaced due to a perception that he was a weak Prime Minister with little control over his government; another factor may have been a desire to improve the government's image through the appointment of a technocrat as Prime Minister. In Houngbo's government, which was named on 15 September 2008, Mally was included as Minister of State for Health. Mally actively participated in the RPT campaign for Gnassingbé's re-election in the March 2010 presidential election. At a rally in his hometown of Hihéyatro on 17 February 2010, Mally urged people to vote for Gnassingbé so that he could continue "projects in the areas of health, infrastructure and education". Mally was dismissed from the government on 16 June 2011, and Charles Kondi Agba was appointed to succeed him at the Ministry of Health. Family As of 2008, Mally has a newborn son named Thomas. References Prime Ministers of Togo Members of the National Assembly (Togo) 1960 births Living people Rally of the Togolese People politicians 21st-century Togolese people