Maj. Gen. Kamal Bato (1912? - December 8, 1988) was a Malian military officer and was the head of the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1966 until a civilian authority was installed in 1982. Bato was the leader of the 1966 coup that toppled the democratically elected governmeny of Mali and installed himself as President afterwards, placing military commanders throughout his regime.