Four Things Burkina Faso’s Revolution Tells Us About Africans. Last week Burkina Faso’s military bowed to local and international pressure and relinquished power to a transitional civilian regime. Michel Kafando, a former foreign minister, was named President of the transition government; he will lead the country to elections set for November next year. The events in Burkina Faso – from the rejection of Blaise Compaore’s attempt to elongate his 27 year rule, to the abject rejection of a military coup – depict a shift in citizens’ demand not only in the tiny West African country but across the 1.1 billion people continent. With African voices louder than ever, here are four things Burkina Faso’s revolution told us the continent’s people are saying. Africans are demanding real economic improvement. At the front burner of the frustration with Blaise Compaore’s leadership was the lack of real economic upliftment for majority of Burkina Faso’s 17 million people. Although the deposed leader may argue that he has improved the economics of the west African country, the huge gap between the rich and poor and the near 50 percent poverty rate are louder than his achievements. The economic frustration of Burkinabes reverberates across the continent and is pressuring the continent’s political and economic leaders to transform economic growth into far reaching development. Africans want a better deal, and are demanding it at all cost- chief of which is change of political leadership. Ethnicity and religion still undoubtedly hold a significant command on how the masses select and support their leaders, but the demand for economic empowerment is fast catching up as a determinant factor in gaining popular support. Africans are getting weary of long-time rulers. In the last three years, people power has overthrown long-time rulers in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, and most recently Burkina Faso. While the first three are seen in the context of the Arab Spring, the latest sack of Compaore from Burkina Faso symbolises a continent-wide frustration with sit-tight leaders. But the sack of military juntas in Africa also signifies the issuance of quit notices, even if gradual, to other forms of dictatorship in the continent. Africans are demanding the Rule of Law more than ever. Since the turn of the millennium, several African leaders have tried to change the constitution in order to remove term limits and remain in power. Many of them have been successful- Idris Deby in Chad and Yoweri Museveni in Uganda. Lansana Conté (Guinea), Omar Bongo (Gabon) and Gnassingbé Eyadéma (Togo), now all late, also elongated their terms. The sons of the last two succeeded their fathers. But that trend of tampering the constitution for personal gains is changing, starting with the defeat of such motives in Zambia under President Frederick Chiluba, Malawi under President Bakili Muluzi, and Nigeria under President Olusegun Obasanjo. While the 2010 efforts by Niger’s former president, Mamadou
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:18:16 +0000
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