By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The junta leader in West Africa’s Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré has announced the extension of his rule for another five years.
The extension was announced on Saturday, after a national consultation meeting in the country’s capital city, Ouagadougou.
This is despite his assurance of handing over power to civil government July this year when he led a coup that ushered him into power in 2022.
It therefore joins the neighbouring Mali to extend military rule that has been condemned by regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
At the end of the 5-year extension, Traoré will also be eligible to contest the next presidential election, state-owned broadcaster had reported.
According to an amended charter, signed by Traoré, the new 60-month transition period will take effect from 2 July this year.
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“The elections marking the end of the transition may be organised before this deadline if the security situation so permits,” Reuters news agency quoted the charter as saying.
Burkina Faso has been governed by the military since January 2022, when Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba seized power from President Roch Kaboré.
Col Damiba justified the coup by saying the previous government had failed to deal with growing militant Islamist violence.
Heritage Times HT reports that since 2015, Al-Qaeda-linked rebels and the Islamic State group have launched insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions.
In September 2022, Capt Traoré ousted Col Damiba, arguing a second coup was necessary because Col Damiba was himself unable to tackle the insurgency.
Capt Traoré promised to improve the country’s dire security situation within “two to three months” and restore civilian rule within 21 months.
But since making this pledge, Capt Traoré has warned that elections are not “a priority” until territory is recaptured from the jihadists so that everyone can vote.
Under the new charter, quotas will no longer be used to assign seats in the assembly to members of traditional parties, news agency AFP reported.
Instead, “patriotism” will be the only criteria for selecting deputies.
Traore since assumption of office has severed ties with former colony, France and instead, courting Moscow in its fight against the jihadists.
He has expelled three French diplomats from his country, accusing them of “subversive activities”.
In December, he reopen Russian embassy in Burkina Faso after it was shut more than 30 years ago, expelling French ambassador the following month.
Russia is helping the West African state to strengthen its military capabilities to fight jihadists after the junta forced France to shut its military base.
