Any lessons from Burkina Faso?
The upsurge of popular uprisings by which leaders in many countries around the world have been toppled should send a warning to leaders, especially African leaders, not to take the people for granted. In fact, the momentum in Burkina Faso can be acclaimed for the sheer speed with which it was consummated.
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From all indications, the people’s anger still has some way to go. It shows that people, most especially the young people on the continent, are now alive to their civic responsibilities and would no longer stand idly by while poverty and despondency are made the mainstay of their destinies.
Even though the circumstances that prompted the upheaval was not similar to any in the country, it is believed that the political class and students in political science in Ghana are watching closely and drawing useful lessons.
The move by President Blaise Compaore to push through Parliament a constitutional amendment that would abolish term limits and allow him to run in national elections scheduled for November 2015 was the last straw for the people who had fretted under a dictatorial rule that spanned the best part of 27 years. But while we would normally have applauded the sacking of a tyrant, the repercussions have often not been exemplary.
There are many instances that attest to the fact that following the fall, the centre has always not been able to hold. There are examples in Libya, Somalia, Czechoslovakia and Ukraine, just to mention a few, whose people are still finding it difficult to maintain a unitary state.
For Burkina Faso, the military have immediately stepped in, but it is not certain if the people will trust the military.
It is yet to be seen if with his exit the opposition could bring any influence to bear on the politics of the country. Right now, Lt Col. Issac Zida, who was a deputy in Compaore’s presidential guard, is in the seat.
Already pressure is mounting on the military to hand over to a civilian administration. But the authority and composition of that authority would have to be taken with care considering that the ousted president had such an overwhelming influence on the country’s politics.
As was alluded to earlier, because of Compaore’s overbearing stature and a figure around whom everything centered, the choice of who to lead the country may become a tough choice, since there is no clear candidate for the people.
The ECOWAS has given the military two weeks to hand over power and a three-member delegation of Heads of State from the sub-region was in Ouagadougou recently to dialogue with political elements in that country.
From the scenarios given of the flux nature the Burkinabe’s would need to go through to select a civilian leader, it is hoped that they are not rushed unduly but would be given some time to come out with a popular choice candidate to lead that country.
The AU must as well draw useful lessons from what has happened in Burkina Faso. It must begin to speak with those leaders on the continent who consider themselves presidents for life in their countries.
One can only do so much in 10 years. If after that number of years a leader is not able to achieve anything meaningful for his or her people, there is little hope he can add anything even if the time is extended. I believe it is for this reason that many countries have two presidential terms for their leadership.
Here in Africa, there are still Presidents who have served past two decades. The roll call includes Chadian President Idriss Deby and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who have been in office for 24 years and 28 years, respectively. They have both changed the constitution to abolish term limits and have remained in office.
There is a strong possibility that both will seek yet another term. Paul Kagame of Rwanda has been in power for 20 years and is still counting. He has hinted that he might extend his term. Then there is DRC’s President Joseph Kabila, who changed election laws six months before the 2011 election and is proposing abolition of term limits ahead of the 2016 polls; not forgetting the mighty Dos Santos of Angola who has been in power for over 30 years and is currently Africa’s longest serving Head of State.
Some consider the manipulation by these heads in extending their time limits and the tweaking of their countries’ constitution to elongate their stay as modern day coup d’etat.
To prevent the continent from sinking into an abyss of uprising that may be difficult to control someday, the AU has a duty to make the leaders realise that times have changed and that it is time for them to rest for others to continue.