President of Burkina Faso has returned to power yesterday marking the end of a coup plotted by the presidential guard soldiers who briefly took over power last week and took the President hostage.
President Michel Kafando while addressing his supporters and West African leaders in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital said, he has returned back and would oversee a transition to democracy.
Burkina Faso’s National election was fixed for October 11, but it is not certain if it would hold as scheduled. The election is meant to mark a return to democracy in the country, one year after President Blaise Compaore was brought down by protesters in his attempt to extend his 27-year rule.
Kafando’s whose task was to guide the country to election, assured the Burkinabe of his determination in fulfilling the responsibilities bestowed on him by building a strong institution and real democracy.
He thanked the international body for condemning the coup, and noted that, “If ever there was a transition to be held up as an example, it is indeed ours”.
Though the coup Leader Diendere was not present during Kafando’s speech, but he had earlier on, welcome the heads of state and government sent by ECOWAS at the airport and later said, he regretted the coup.
Diendere added that, soldiers who were at different positions at the city have all returned back into their barracks, as agreed in a deal made with loyalist forces.
Reports by some sources from hospitals in Ouagadougou said at least 10 people have died while over a 100 are injured when security forces suppressed protests against the coup.
Supporters of Kafando expressed satisfaction on his returned as they make various chants while he was about to deliver his address at the conference centre.
Normalcy is gradually returning in Ouagadougou as some Burkinabe went out to shop for today’s celebration of Tabaski, or Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of sacrifice while loyalist troops, who converged on the capital this week from bases across the country to disarm the coup leaders, were also not visible on the streets.
