Politics

Ousted former Burkina Faso President allowed to return home after months of house arrest

Published

3 years ago

April 8, 2022

Former President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, has been allowed to return to his personal home after months of being under strict house arrest since he was removed in a coup in January.

The Burkinabe military junta spokesman, Wendkouni Joel Lionel Bilgo, said in a statement on Friday that Kabore has been allowed to return to his residence in the capital, Ouagadougou, following three weeks of consultations across the country, but added that the ex-president’s residence will be guarded round the clock by government security,

As part of the deal, Kabore will be allowed to see family and close friends and to use his phone, but he is not permitted to freely move outside his home without the permission of the military, a member of the ruling junta told a journalist on the condition of anonymity.

Kabore’s ouster on January 24 by Army officers who were disgruntled by his leadership style and his handling of lingering jihadist insurgency that has claimed some 2,000 lives and forced another two million people to flee their homes, had led the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to place various sanctions on the country.

The West African regional body had also expressed concern over the junta’s transition period and demanded that by April 25, the military rulers should propose a shorter time to elections as against the junta’s announcement that it intends to stay in power for three years before holding elections and returning Burkina Faso to civilian, democratic rule.

Africa News Watch had, on April 1, reported that the West African regional body, after a summit in Accra, Ghana, on March 25, demanded the immediate release release
Kaboré’s from house arrest by the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR),

However, the military government rejected the demands, saying it had the right to do things its own way.

“The government of Burkina Faso has only one deadline. The deadline is to do things right, to plan its actions in accordance with the realities on the ground, in all objectivity and with the greatest possible prudence and realism,” Bilgo said at a press conference.

Related Topics:#COUP Burkina Faso Featured House Arrest

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Politics

Mozambique’s top court affirms governing party’s victory in recent election

Published

11 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Mozambique affirmed Monday that the incumbent Frelimo party won the October election, sparking widespread demonstrations from opposition parties who claim the vote was manipulated.

Fears of fresh bloodshed have been raised in the nation already shaken by weeks of fatal protests after Mozambique’s top electoral court mostly confirmed the results of the country’s contentious October elections, reinforcing the Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.

The final decision on the election process rests with the Constitutional Council. Mozambique, a nation of over 35 million people in Southern Africa that Frelimo has ruled since 1975, is expected to see more protests in response to its judgement.

Mozambique operates a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in a multi-party system. The president of Mozambique serves as both the head of state and the head of government.

The government exercises executive power. The administration and the Assembly of the Republic have the authority to enact laws.

Politics

Alliance of Sahel States opposes ECOWAS disengagement schedule

Published

11 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) withdrawal timeline has been rejected by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which is made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The AES claims that the ECOWAS is attempting to destabilise their newly formed organisation.

During a meeting last week in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional organisation announced a six-month withdrawal period to give the three nations time to change their minds after their official departure date at the end of January 2025.

However, this decision is “nothing more than yet another attempt by the French and its auxiliaries to continue planning and carrying out destabilising actions against the AES,” according to the heads of state of the AES.

“This unilateral decision is not binding on the ESA countries,” the statement continues. Before the conference, they stated that their choice to leave the organisation was “irreversible.”

According to the president of the Ecowas Commission, this will be a “transition period” that ends on “July 29, 2025” to “keep the doors of Ecowas open.”

The three nations accused the bloc of neglecting to assist them in resolving their domestic security challenges and of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coup.

The three nations that were involved in the coup have mostly rejected ECOWAS’ attempts to undo their withdrawal. They are creating their alliance and have begun thinking about how to issue travel passports independently of ECOWAS.

It is anticipated that they will finish giving their one-year notice of departure in January.

Visa-free travel to other ECOWAS members is a significant perk of membership, and it is unclear how this would alter after the three nations exit the group.