Mahama brokers democratic rule in Burkina Faso
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has asked the military authorities in Burkina Faso to immediately lift the suspension they placed on the country’s constitution.
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After that the Constitutional Council should declare a power vacancy.
This came up when military authorities in Burkina Faso led by Lt. Col. Isaac Zida, agreed to relinquish power, which they have held for a week now.
It followed a meeting with an ECOWAS high-level team headed by its chairman, President John Dramani Mahama in Ouagadougou yesterday.
Consequently, political parties and other civil society organisations in Burkina Faso have agreed that a civilian be elected by consensus to head a council that will administer the country in the transitional period, leading to presidential elections next year.
Various political parties and civil society groups were asked yesterday to submit three names after which consultations would be made to select one to head the interim administration.
President Mahama, the President of Nigeria, Mr Goodluck Jonathan; and the President of Senegal, Mr Macky Sall, held discussions with the military leaders and key groups on how to restore normalcy to the country.
But just after the meetings, there was a near brawl between supporters of the political parties and the civil society groups over the timing of the general election for next year. They wanted the maximum 90 days.
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The country has been under the control of the military led by Lt Col Zida, following the resignation of President Blaise Compaore last week Friday.
But, during President Mahama’s visit, it was agreed that the person to be elected by consensus by stakeholders to head the transitional administration must be a civilian.
The person would head a transitional council, which would also be constituted by consensus.
The transitional council would be in office for one year leading to general election in November next year.
It was further agreed that every person who would serve on the transitional administration would be ineligible to contest in the next presidential elections, to prevent conflict of interest.
Mr Mahama was supported at the meeting by Presidents Jonathan and Sall. Also in attendance was the representative of the United Nations Secretary General, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, and others from the African Union (AU) and the ECOWAS Secretariat.
The officials from the AU and ECOWAS are to stay behind to dialogue with the stakeholders to complete the road map leading to the next elections.
Election
President Mahama said it was important that a long leadership vacuum was not created in Burkina Faso.
The country's constitution mandates the President of the Senate to assume the administration of the country when the President resigns, while elections shall take place between 60 and 90 days later.
But, President Mahama said the period was too short to organise elections and suggested that the transitional government operate pending general election in November next year.
"We want to see command and control work in this country," President Mahama said, and added, "We have to look forward and see what the future of the country holds for us."
He expressed solidarity with the democratic aspirations of Burkina Faso and said the events of October 30 which were not a coup d'etat but a popular uprising by the people were welcome.
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Mr Compaore, who ruled Burkina Faso for 27 years, resigned last Friday and fled to Côte d'Ivoire.
It followed violent demonstrations in the capital against his moves to seek re-election in next year's presidential election although the country’s constitution barred him from doing so.
The initial confusion in the camp of the military abated when Burkina Faso army chiefs issued a statement backing Lt Col Zida, the second in command of the presidential guard, as interim leader of Burkina Faso.
Ouagadougou calm
Lt Col Zida, the seventh military officer to take power in the 54-year-old history of the land-locked country, deployed armed soldiers on the streets of the capital.
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However, the situation looked relaxed with many of the soldiers off the streets except at vantage positions.
People were also going about their work peacefully, a far cry from the turbulent situation that existed few days back.
Response
The stakeholders expressed gratitude to President Mahama and ECOWAS for the steps taken to bring sanity to the country.
They said they wanted to push the country through democratic lines and would not do anything to derail ECOWAS’s efforts to restore democratic rule in Burkina Faso.
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