Burkina Faso

Benin’s President, Thomas Boni Yayi says Burkina Faso will return to civilian rule and an interim government led by the president, Michel Kafando, will be reinstated, reversing a military coup. The announcement followed a third day of unrest as hundreds of protesters burned tyres and erected barricades in the streets of Ouagadougou. Young people wielding sticks and slingshots dragged fences into the streets to block soldiers loyal to Diendéré, who was facing intense diplomatic pressure over Thursday’s coup. At least 10 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in street clashes with soldiers since the coup condemned by the US, France and the UN. Soldiers from the presidential guard stormed into a cabinet meeting on Wednesday and abducted President Kafando and ministers, disrupting a transition period due to end with elections on the 11th of October. To help us unpack this we are joined on the line by:Professor Kealeboga Maphunye: the inaugural WIPHOLD-Brigalia Bam Research Professor and Chair in Electoral Democracy in AfricaJemini Pandya Spokesperosn for the Inter-Parliamentary Kwezi Mnqibisa: Manager of ACCORD's Peace and Security Unit (Accord is a South African-based organization involved in Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Preventive Diplomacy throughout the continent of Africa