Several sources (including AFP and RFI) report the arrest by soldiers of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of the Republic of Burkina-Faso, democratically re-elected for a second term in 2020. Soldiers positioned themselves in front of the RTB, Public Radio Television in Ouagadougou.
The head of state is believed to be detained in a military camp in the capital. He was first elected at the end of 2015, following the fall of Blaise Compaoré, deposed by the people in 2014.
Social discontent of the people, strong resurgence of Islamist attacks in recent months, mutinies in many barracks in the capital this weekend, will Burkina-Faso plunge into the adventure? Is this the domino effect after Mali and Guinea in recent years?
Who is behind this coup? Mondafrique writes this morning: “Burkina’s new strongman is a lieutenant-colonel, Paul-Henri Sandaogo DAMIBA, author of a book entitled: “West African armies and terrorism: uncertain answers?” published by the editions of the three columns. senior infantry officer in the Burkinabe Armed Forces.
A graduate of the military school in Paris, he holds a master’s degree in criminal sciences from the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (CNAM) in Paris, therefore a student of the criminologist Alain Bauer”.
Is this coup not likely to be the deathblow to the military system of the G5 Sahel and Operation Barkhane. France, preoccupied with the presidential election campaign, will it be able to stay there for a long time?
How will ECOWAS, UEMOA and… France react, in the midst of the presidential campaign? Saturday died a new French soldier in Mali.
Africa, full of promise and talent, is not done with its demons!
By Alain Dupouy and Michel Taube
● This was first published in Opinion International
