The Sunday News
OUAGADOUGOU — Opposition parties, army representatives and religious leaders in Burkina Faso have reached an agreement on forming a one-year transitional government headed by a civilian president, media reports said last Friday.The deal reached late last Thursday comes two weeks after the ouster of president Blaise Compaore and foresees the election of a civilian president by an electoral college.
Military leader Isaac Zida said a political president might have “favoured his party or an allied party” when organising elections due in a year, the website lefaso.net reported.
The president will appoint a prime minister, who could be from the army, according to Radio France Internationale.
The premier will appoint a 25-member Cabinet. The transitional charter foresees a 90-member parliament in which 25 seats will be reserved for the army.
No timetable has been set for establishing the transitional bodies, and opposition leader Zephirin Diabre said the next step would be the official signing of the charter.
“We will put in place a transition which will continue until [holding] free, fair and transparent elections, acceptable and accepted by everyone,” Zida added.
The lieutenant colonel took power after Compaore fled to Ivory Coast on 31 October following massive rallies demanding an end to his 27-year rule.
The five-day negotiations that led to Thursday’s agreement were mediated by several West African presidents and the Economic Community of West African States. — SAPA
