Politics

AU chief, Moussa Mahamat, France, others react as Burkina Faso witnesses 2nd coup in 8 months

Published

2 years ago

October 1, 2022

Reactions have been trailing the latest military coup in Burkina Faso as the African Union (AU) has referred to the coup as an “unconstitutional change of government.”

AU chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said he was deeply concerned about the resurgence of unconstitutional ousters in the West African nation and elsewhere on the continent.

The chairperson of the Pan-African group in a statement, “called upon the military to immediately and totally refrain from any acts of violence or threats to the civilian population, civil liberties, human rights.”

There have also been reactions from the international community on the development as Burkina Faso’s former colonial ruler, France has asked its citizens in the capital city, Ouagadougou, to stay home, while the European Union expressed “concern” at the unfolding events.

The United States on its side also called “for a return to calm and restraint by all actors”.

Meanwhile, there have been mixed reactions from the citizens towards the development. One local resident, Francois Kaboré, told a journalist that “He could no longer manage the security issue. Many people died and more and more criminals approached the big cities. So, many people were not happy with that.”

Another citizen, Alidou Pitroipa, disagreed with the position. “If there was a problem between the soldiers, discuss it between you, to find the right solution.,” he said “It’s not the right solution to overthrow the power. That means, with this kind of situation, you don’t know when it’s going to end.” Mr. Pitroipa told journalists.

The West Africa sub-region has witnessed a series of military coups in recent years. In Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso since August 2020.

Eight months after the last coup that outed democratically elected President Roch Kabore in January Burkina Faso by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, soldiers struck again in the troubled West African country as Damiba was also overthrown by one of his trusted allies, Captain Ibrahim Traore.

Related Topics:AU Burkina Faso Featured Moussa Mahamat

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Politics

Mauritius’ Prime Minister to double as Finance Minister

Published

1 day ago

November 23, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In an effort to maintain a tight eye on the economy, Mauritius’ Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, who took office this month following a resounding election victory, said on Friday that he would retain the position of finance minister for himself.

“We are doing an audit of the economy to see to what extent the outgoing government has destroyed it,” Ramgoolam told reporters in the capital Port Louis after he presided over the swearing-in of other ministers.

Ten years after he stepped down as prime minister, the seasoned politician returned to the position when his Alliance du Changement (ADC) alliance won 60 of the 62 seats in the national legislature.

The 77-year-old Ramgoolam said earlier this week that he would be auditing governmental finances. Before this, he was prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014.

Ramgoolam started a campaign in 2006 to streamline taxes and reduce bureaucracy to diversify the $10 billion economy beyond exports of sugar, textiles, and tourism.

Since then, the 1.3 million-person nation, which positions itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, has developed into a major offshore financial hub and has been rated by the World Bank as the easiest location to do business in Africa regularly.

Politics

Mali’s junta names spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new Prime Minister

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A day after dismissing Choguel Maiga for criticising the government, Mali’s governing junta named its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as Prime Minister on Thursday, according to state broadcaster, ORTM.

A source close to Choguel Maiga told Reuters that the ruling generals were incensed by Maiga’s remarks over the weekend denouncing the junta’s inability to hold elections within the 24-month timeframe given for the return to democracy.

After promising to hold elections in February, the military authorities, who took control in two separate coups in 2020 and 2021, have put off the poll indefinitely, citing technological difficulties.

Choguel Maiga’s firing coincides with indications of growing discontent and disarray among Mali politicians, even those who first supported the coup and collaborated with the junta.

As the wait for elections continues, Choguel Maiga, a civilian prime minister who was installed by the military junta in 2021, is the most recent to lose support.

He was cited on Saturday as claiming he learnt of the junta’s decision via the media and that there had been no discussion regarding the delay of the elections inside the cabinet.

“It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Choguel Maiga told reporters.

Before then, he had frequently stood up for Mali’s junta against criticism from foreign friends and neighbours in West Africa who denounced its repeated election delays and military collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

As government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, the new prime minister, has also made strong public remarks against France, the previous colonial master. One such speech was demanding French President Emmanuel Macron to stop his “neocolonial” and “condescending” behaviour.

Abdoulaye Maiga and Assimi Goita, the leaders of the junta, announced they had kept all of the important cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new administration in a statement that was broadcast on state television ORTM.

The announcement said that Abdoulaye Maiga will remain minister of territory administration.