In a surprise move, Burkina Faso’s ruling military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has dismissed the country’s prime minister, Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela, and dissolved the government. This decision was announced through a presidential decree transmitted to AFP on Friday.
The sacked premier had served as the head of three successive governments, surviving each reshuffle. However, no reason was given for his dismissal, which was effective immediately. According to the decree, members of the dissolved government will continue to carry out ongoing business until a new government is formed.
This development is the latest in a series of events that have plunged Burkina Faso into instability. In January 2022, a coup led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba seized power, ousting elected president Roch Marc Christian Kabore. Damiba himself was overthrown by Traore just eight months later.
Burkina Faso has been battling jihadist violence since 2015, which has forced over two million people to flee their homes and killed more than 26,000 people. The country has pivoted towards Russia for support, with Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore stating that cooperation with Russia “better suited” Burkina Faso than its historic ties with France.
The dissolution of the government and the sacking of the prime minister have raised concerns about the future of democracy in Burkina Faso. The international community is watching the situation closely, with many calling for a return to stability and democratic rule.
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