People of Burkina Faso should forget about democracy, says military ruler

People of Burkina Faso should forget about democracy, says military ruler

Ibrahim Traoré, the military president of Burkina Faso, has declared that the nation’s citizens should abandon democratic ideals, claiming they are not suitable for the country. In a recent interview with the state broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB), he stated that democracy is not aligned with the people’s interests.

Traoré seized power in September 2022 through a coup that removed a previous military administration, which had ruled for nearly a year. Since then, he has suppressed political dissent and, in January, implemented an outright ban on all political parties. Originally, a return to democratic governance was planned for 2024, but the junta extended his tenure until 2029, effectively freezing the transition process.

“We’re not even discussing elections,” Traoré remarked. “People need to stop thinking about democracy. The truth is, democracy isn’t for us.” He added, “Democracy, we kill children. Democracy, we drop bombs, we kill women, we destroy hospitals, we kill civilian populations. Is that democracy?”

Despite his critique of democracy, Traoré has drawn support from African leaders with his anti-Western and anti-French rhetoric, reminiscent of the revolutionary legacy of Thomas Sankara. Sankara, a Marxist leader, served as president from 1983 until his assassination in 1987, during which time he renamed the country from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso. Traoré has used Sankara’s image to bolster his own narrative of nationalist leadership.

The military’s rule has coincided with a persistent jihadist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since 2014. Over 2.1 million people—approximately 9% of the population—have been