The military government of Burkina Faso has announced it will extend junta rule for another five years, Africa Today News, New York reports.
According to the state-owned broadcaster. the country’s ruler, Capt Ibrahim Traoré, will also be able to contest the next presidential election.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that when he seized power in a coup nearly two years ago, Capt Traore pledged to restore the civilian government by 1 July this year.
However, Burkina Faso has now extended military authority alongside bordering Mali.
Following a nationwide consultative conference in Ouagadougou, the capital of the West African nation, the decision was made public on Saturday.
According to a revised charter that Captain Traoré signed, the new 60-month transition period will begin on July 2 of this year.
“The elections marking the end of the transition may be organised before this deadline if the security situation so permits,” the Reuters news agency quoted the charter as saying.
Burkina Faso has been governed by the army since January 2022, when Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba seized power from President Roch Kaboré.
Read Also: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Move To Form Confederation
Col Damiba justified the coup by saying the previous government had failed to deal with growing militant Islamist violence.
Since 2015, jihadist rebels affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have waged a grinding insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions.
In September 2022, Capt Traoré ousted Col Damiba, arguing a second coup was necessary because Col Damiba was himself unable to tackle the insurgency.
Capt Traoré promised to improve the country’s dire security situation within “two to three months” and restore civilian rule within 21 months.
But since issuing the pledge, Capt Traoré has warned that elections are not “a priority” until territory is recaptured from jihadist forces so that all citizens of the country can vote.
Under the new charter, quotas will no longer be used to assign seats in the assembly to members of traditional parties, the AFP news agency reported.
Instead, “patriotism” will be the only criteria for selecting deputies.
The decisions made during Saturday’s national consultation happened swiftly. Local media reports indicated that political parties were absent at the start of the meeting.
International and human rights groups, including the European Union and UN, have accused Burkina Faso of serious human rights violations in its fight against Islamists, including the indiscriminate killings and forced disappearances of dozens of civilians.