Let open governance reign in Burkina Faso

A coup in Burkina Faso last week Wednesday threatened to pull that country deeper into political crisis, with leading minister’s detained, violent clashes on the streets of the capital and a General installed overnight as head of state.
But a swift intervention from West African countries, including Ghana, Senegal, Benin, headed by the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has restored the country to order in an unprecedented turnaround.

Burkina Faso was plunged into crisis a week ago when the powerful presidential guard detained the interim leaders who had been in charge since a popular uprising deposed President Blaise Compaoré last October after his failed bid to extend his 27-year rule.
Members of the Regiment of Presidential Security (RSP) detained Michel Kafando and his Prime Minister, Isaac Zida, for more than two days, naming General Gilbert Diendéré, long-time aide to Compaoré, as the new leader of the country.
But last Wednesday, Kafando was returned to power after emergency talks with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by President Buhari.
The move came after marathon talks in Abuja and threats by the French President, François Hollande, that the coup leaders should surrender immediately or face the “consequences”.

The overnight deal to restore the interim administration to power was signed after troops entered Ouagadougou, turning up the pressure on the elite RSP who staged the coup.
While the Daily Graphic celebrates the restoration of order in neighbouring Burkina Faso, we wish to stand by the position that West Africa has come a long way in its quest to make democracy a permanent feature of the sub-region.
A new era has dawned and ascent to power is a deal that is brokered with the ordinary people in a manner that ensures peaceful co-existence, diversity in unity and growth and development.
What the military leaders in that country must know is that the era of forcible takeovers has ended, giving way to a participatory process that respects the will and decisions of the electorate.
It is our sincere hope that the agreement reached between the factions will ensure the calming down of nerves and the restoration of the timetable for the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections.

And on the elections, we implore the various political groupings in that country, irrespective of where their allegiances may be, to allow the collective will of the people to determine the outcome of the process.
We commiserate with families who lost their loved ones during the turbulent times and only hope that the lives that were lost will be compensated for by the restoration and entrenchment of true participatory democracy, as well as respect for law and order.