By BRAHIMA OUEDRAOGO, Associated Press
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s transitional president on Friday signed a decree to disband the presidential guard that staged a coup more than a week ago.
Interim President Michel Kafando also fired the commander of the presidential guard, Col. Boureima Kere, and the country’s security minister, Col. Sidi Pare, according to the decree that was read on national television.
Burkina Faso’s armed forces said in a communique that they have started disarming the presidential guard and there is an inventory of their weapons.
The decision was made after Kafando met with interim Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida and other ministers for the first cabinet meeting since the transitional government was reinstalled Wednesday.
Zida, who formerly served as the second in command for the presidential guard, said earlier he favored the action to disarm and disband the group.
Members of the presidential guard mounted the coup last week, unhappy that the transitional government had barred supporters loyal to former President Blaise Compaore from participating as candidates in the country’s national election. Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising in October.
Coup leader Gen. Gilbert Diendere on Wednesday stepped down at the order of the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, and under pressure from the military and citizens.
At least 11 people died and 271 were wounded in violence that followed the coup, the government said Friday.
Kafando must now organize an election to install a democratic government in Burkina Faso. The vote was originally scheduled for Oct. 11 — but Zida said Friday the election would be postponed by at least several weeks.
“We need to bring security to the country, to the people, before we can restart the electoral process,” he said.
ECOWAS leaders suggested a Nov. 22 election date and recommended that Compaore’s allies be allowed to field candidates. Some civil society associations and political parties have come out against amnesty for coup leaders.
The prime minister said Diendere’s future was still being considered and an investigation is being launched into the coup.
“Justice will be served after the conclusion of these investigations,” Zida said.
Diendere has said he regretted the coup.
Courtesy of Associated Press
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Excellent move . Our criminal president Jammeh should learn from this if he do not want to be killed. His jugulars and NIA are known to people. Their atroticies and human rights abuses are well documented . Jammeh should resign now and peacefully hand over the country . Failure to do so, is preparing for his violent removal.
Child rapist and molester with arrogant and schizophrenic character will never learn .
This seem to be the only remedy to this never-ending traumatic predicament & madness of the criminal presidential guards inflicted upon the Burkinabe population from the criminal Campoaré era to date…
Gradually the decent trampled on Africans can say enough to tyrannical oppressions in whatever shapes or forms wherever they may be…
The Gambia too is NO exception; we will get there eventually sooner; the Murderous kanilai Killer DEVIL & equally murderous aid-abet cohorts, mercenaries, disciples & sycophants must all take note; NOBODY will get away with innocent Gambian blood on their filthy hands; ALL must take note…
If you don’t learn the easy way, you will learn the hard way. Yaya Jammeh is your turn. Nothing will stop the people from asking for their freedom and liberty.
Once again, the people of Burkina Faso have demonstrated and shown that power in that country, really belongs to them…
They have also shown that when a people are determined for change, no borrowed power can stop them…
The decision to disband the Presidential Guards,restructure the security apparatus and retire some of the top officers, should have been the first item of business for Kafonda when he took over from Campaore..
His failure to do so was a betrayal of the revolution that chased Campaore out..and except for the determination of the people,the military dictatorship could have been back..
I hope who ever takes over from our own Jammeh does not make.the same mistake.