Burkina Faso Swears In The Country’s Third Civilian President Ever

Burkina Faso President Roch Kabore (C) arrives at his swearing in ceremony in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, December 29, 2015. Photo/Reuters

Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, a former banker and one-time prime minister, was sworn in as Burkina Faso’s new president on Tuesday (Dec. 29), the first time that the country has had an electoral transfer of power in almost three decades. Kaboré won over 53% of the vote in an election held last month, defeating former finance minister Zephirin Diabre.

The event caps a tumultuous year for Burkina Faso.

GRAPHITTI NEWS based on Quartz Africa filing reports:

It began with the ousting of long-time leader Blaise Compaoré, who was forced out of office by a popular uprising that opposed his efforts to change the constitution so he could stay on in power. The transitional government formed after his departure faced its own crisis after it was overthrown in September by a section of the military loyal to Compaoré. But the army quickly thwarted the coup and restored the interim administration.

“This is the triumph of the alternative that we have been waiting for so long,” Kaboré said during his swearing-in ceremony. “It’s the triumph of democracy.”

While Kaboré’s election does usher a new dawn for Burkina Faso, he is not a complete break from the past. He served in Compaoré’s previous administrations as minister in various capacities, and was the country’s prime minister for two years in the mid-1990s. He was the former ruler’s special adviser before he broke ranks following Compaoré declared intentions to stay on in power. Kaboré is only the third civilian president of Burkina Faso of the nine rulers it has had since the country’s independence from the French in 1960. (The other leaders came to power through coups).

He inherits an economy that is highly dependent on commodities, and has experienced a weakening as a result of the global economic slowdown and political instability of the past twelve months.

Kaboré’s ascendance to power should restore confidence, especially with the private sector that has taken a wait-and-see approach over to investment, wanting more clarity about the country’s political situation.

Burkinabes celebrating the election of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. (EPA/Wouter Elsen)

Burkina Faso Former PM Roch Kaboré Sworn In As President

Reuters reports that Burkina Faso's constitutional court swore in Roch Kaboré as president on Tuesday, making the former prime minister the country's first new leader in almost 30 years following his election last month.

The ceremony at an indoor stadium in the capital marks a pivotal moment in a democratic transition in the West African country after veteran leader Blaise Compaoré was overthrown in a popular uprising in October 2014.

Most of the country's leaders since independence from France in 1960 have come to power through coups, including Compaoré in 1987 and his predecessor Thomas Sankara four years earlier. Kaboré served under Compaoré but went into opposition in 2014.

The election could serve as an example to other countries in Africa, where veteran rulers in Burundi, Rwanda and Congo Republic have changed the constitution to allow the extension of their mandates through the ballot box.

"I take this opportunity to institute a rich social dialogue with the Burkinabe people so that together we can break the chains of misery and make a strong dignified and respected nation," Kaboré said.

More than 5,000 people including several West African presidents watched his speech.

"I would like to issue an appeal for more substantial partnership from the international community and financial and economic partners for the efforts to kick-start the economy and improve our country's governance, he said.

Landlocked Burkina Faso produces cotton and gold but remains impoverished. Its economy has slowed due to lower global commodity prices and reduced investment during the democratic transition that began after Compaoré fell.

Kaboré earlier told Reuters Burkina needs to improve access to water, healthcare and education. The government said the economy will expand by 4 to 4.5 per cent this year a World Bank figure of 6 per cent growth in 2014.

The swearing-in marks the end of an interim government that held power in the wake of Compaoré's overthrow. Soldiers from the elite presidential guard staged a short-lived coup in September in which they took the transitional president hostage.

Authorities arrested around 20 soldiers for plotting to free from prison a prominent general, Gilbert Diendere, charged with staging that coup, the transitional government said.

The interim government oversaw progress in investigations into the murder of Sankara, whose death is one of the most notorious killings in Africa's independence history.

Diendere has been charged over the crime and authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Compaoré.