Forget about democracy, Captain Traoré tells Burkina Faso citizens 

Captain Ibrahim Traore has told Burkina Fasoye citizens  to ‘forget’ about democracy.

Capt Traoré said political parties were divisive and dangerous.

Democracy “kills” and the people of Burkina Faso must “forget” it, the country’s military ruler has said in an interview aired on state television.

Traore who seized power in a coup three years ago, said Africans do not want democracy, adding that his country has its own alternative approach which he did not reveal.

The junta had initially pledge to restore democratic rule to Burkina Faso but July 2924 but extended it by five years , just two months before the deadline.

In January, the authorities announced a ban on all political parties as part of a plan to “rebuild the state”.

In Thursday night’s interview, Traoré said, “People need to forget democracy; Democracy is not for us.”

While there has been a spate of military takeovers in recent years, most African countries do still hold regular elections, even if some are criticised as being rigged in favour of incumbents. Two military leaders – in Gabon and Guinea – have organised elections which they have gone on to win.

Traoré also addressed the dissolution of political parties, saying he considered them to be divisive, dangerous and incompatible with the revolutionary project.

The junta leader did not propose an alternative system, but said “We have our own approach. We’re not even trying to copy anyone else. We’re here to completely change the way things are done.”
Burkina Faso, like its junta-led neighbours Mali and Niger, has moved away from working with Western countries, especially France, in its fight against Islamist militants, which have waged a decade-long insurgency in the region.

All three have instead turned towards Russia for military assistance, but the violence has continued unabated.