The head of the junta in Burkina Faso, which overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré over a fortnight ago, will be sworn in on February 16 before the Constitutional Council.
In an order, the high court indicated that the formal hearing for the swearing in of Lieutenant Colonel Damiba as President of Faso, Head of State, is set for Wednesday 16 February 2022 at 10am, in the courtroom of the institution.
Having taken “note” of the resignation of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and the vacancy of power, the Constitutional Council of Burkina Faso decided that the function of “head of state” is vested in this 41-year-old officer, head of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration (MPSR) which overthrew the former president on 24 January.
Commander of the third military region appointed last December by Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba justified his coup de force by the “manifest inability” of the former head of state to curb the terrorist attacks that have hit the country since 2016. With the recognition in his new functions by the Constitutional Council, the military officially becomes the president of a transition until the return to constitutional order.
After the coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union suspended Burkina Faso from their bodies, without further sanctions, asking the junta for a “reasonable” timetable for this “return to constitutional order.”
On 5 February, a decree by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba announced that the country intended to adopt, within two weeks, a draft Charter of Transition and a draft electoral agenda, “together with a proposal for the duration of the transition and the modalities of implementation.”
ODL/te/lb/abj/APA