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BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Burkina Faso military rulers scrap electoral commission, take control of future election
Burkina Faso military rulers don disband di kontri electoral commission, call am waste of money. Di interior ministry go handle elections in di future, state-run RTB TV report. Since dem seize power in September 2022, di coup leaders don initiate sweeping reforms, including di postponement of elections wey go lead to a return to civilian rule. A nationwide vote bin dey due last year, but di junta bin extend di period of transition to democracy until July 2029, e allow leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré to remain in power and free to contest di next presidential election. Di AFP news agency quote Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo say di electoral commission dey "subsidised" wit around $870,000 (£650,000) a year. To scrap di commission go "reinforce our sovereign control on di electoral process and at di same time limit foreign influences", e bin add. Afta e come to power three years ago for middle of criticism say di civilian authorities dey fail to deal wit one growing Islamist insurgency, di military leaders don reject di assistance of former colonial power France in favour of Russia. Rights groups since don accuse di army say dem dey target civilians for attempt to quash di militants, as well as suppress political activity and di freedom of expression. Question marks also dey over di effectiveness of di military operation. In di first half of 2025, jihadist group JNIM tok say dem don carry out over 280 attacks in Burkina Faso – double di number for di same period in 2024, according to data wey di BBC verify. Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring and David Bamford.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burkina Faso military ruler abolishes electoral commission
Burkina Faso's military rulers have disbanded the country's electoral commission calling it a waste of money. The interior ministry will handle elections in the future, state-run RTB TV reported. Since seizing power in September 2022, the coup leaders have initiated sweeping reforms, including the postponement of elections which would lead to a return to civilian rule. A nationwide vote was due last year, but the junta extended the period of transition to democracy until July 2029, allowing leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré to remain in power and free to contest the next presidential election. The AFP news agency quotes Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo as saying that the electoral commission was "subsidised" with around $870,000 (£650,000) a year. Abolishing the commission would "reinforce our sovereign control on the electoral process and at the same time limit foreign influences", he added. How an al-Qaeda offshoot became one of Africa's deadliest militant groups Why Burkina Faso's junta leader has captured hearts around the world How 'blood gold' is fuelling conflict in West Africa After coming to power three years ago amid criticism that the civilian authorities were failing to deal with a growing Islamist insurgency, the military leaders have rejected the assistance of former colonial power France in favour of Russia. Rights groups have since accused the army of targeting civilians in its attempt to quash the militants, as well as suppressing political activity and the freedom of expression. There are also question marks over the effectiveness of the military operation. In the first half of 2025, jihadist group JNIM said it had carried out over 280 attacks in Burkina Faso – double the number for the same period in 2024, according to data verified by the BBC. Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring and David Bamford. You may also be interested in: Burkina Faso outcry over 'conscription used to punish junta critics' Capt Ibrahim Traoré: From shy schoolboy to military leader Why France faces so much anger in West Africa Why young Africans are celebrating military takeovers Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on Africa This Is Africa
