Alternance in Burkina suddenly maybe possible?

Lots of encouraging news coming out.  First, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré announced he was resigning as head of CDP, and the speculation is perhaps he is preparing himself to be a candidate for 2015.  Presumably he would only do this if Blaiso was not going to run.  And there is much more open discussion of that probability, which makes it even harder for Blaiso to run…

Le président Blaise Compaoré a-t-il définitivement renoncé à modifier l’article 37 de la constitution pour se représenter en 2015 ? Dans son propre camp, beaucoup en sont convaincus. Le président du CDP en premier. C’est pourquoi il a fait un revirement à 180 degré pour reconnaitre les vertus de l’alternance. C’est la première fois en effet qu’un haut responsable de l’Etat parle de l’alternance en termes positifs depuis la tenue du forum sur l’alternance par Zéphirin Diabré et ses amis en mai 2009. Toutes les sorties des responsables du camp présidentiel tendaient à vilipender l’idée même de changement à la tête des institutions.

Second, the Minister of Justice Jerome Traoré was forced to resign after his bodyguards, apparently with his knowledge, arrested and beat a man who had the audacity to yell at the Minister when he was almost run over by the car the Minister was driving.  The whole story is obviously possibly more complex, but the appearance of abuse of power is now enough, in Burkina, to merit swift action.  (Of course, this follows the arrest and firing of the directeur général of douanes (customs) Ousmane Guiro last month, the first such arrest of a major figure, for corruption.)

About mkevane

Economist at Santa Clara University and Director of Friends of African Village Libraries.
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