Power Struggle Follows Resignation of Burkina Faso President
Thousands of people gathered in the center of country's capital Sunday to denounce what they described as a military coup, two days after massive protests compelled President Blaise Compaore to resign.
Lt. Col. Issac Yacouba Zida pauses as he makes an announcement Saturday to the media in the Burkina Faso city of Ouagadougou. AP/Theo Renaut
Thousands of people gathered in the center of Burkina Faso’s capital Sunday to denounce what they described as a military coup, two days after massive protests compelled President Blaise Compaore to resign.
The Guardian reports:
Compaoré’s 27 years in charge of the landlocked west African country ended on Friday when his bid to change the constitution to extend his rule was thwarted.
A power struggle ensued, and on Saturday Presidential Guard commander Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida was appointed as transitional leader, superseding an earlier claim by the army chief of staff.
In Ouagadougou’s Place de La Nation on Sunday, opposition leaders denounced the power grab to the assembled crowds, while a UN official warned of possible sanctions if Zida obstructed a return to civilian rule.
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— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.
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Africa
Across the continent’s new coup belt, young officers are stepping into power, casting themselves as guardians against corrupt civilian elites.
Africa
September's coup is Burkina Faso's second of the year, and its another one with popular support.
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