Burkina Faso a warning to other African leaders

Nairobi – Violent clashes in Burkina Faso that led to the overthrow of the president are a stark warning to other African leaders pushing constitutional change to hang on to power, analysts say.

Chaos in Burkina Faso erupted this week as lawmakers prepared to vote to allow 63-year-old Blaise Compaore — who took power in a 1987 coup — to contest elections in November 2015.

People celebrate in the capital Ouagadougou after Burkina Faso’s embattled President Blaise Compaore announced earlier on October 31, 2014, he was stepping down to make way for elections following a violent uprising against his 27-year rule. Blaise took power in a coup in 1987 but quickly swapped the “democratic revolution’s” Marxist ideals for authoritarian rule. AFP PHOTO

While Compaore was forced out Friday, Burkina Faso is far from alone in having a president reluctant to relinquish office.

“It is a warning both to ageing regimes and for those trying to stay in power beyond constitutional limits,” said Thierry Vircoulon of the International Crisis Group (ICG).

“During the Arab Spring the question was whether Africa will have its own spring? Perhaps the attempts to change the constitutions will lead to it now.”

Countries including Benin, Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are all reportedly pondering change to allow their leaders a third term.

But the impact of events in Ouagadougou, and the storming of its parliament, may give several leaders across the continent “pause for thought”, said Paul Melly from Britain’s Chatham House.

“Burkina Faso has demonstrated that in today’s Africa popular acquiescence cannot be taken for granted,” Melly said.