The people of Burkina Faso must “forget” about democracy, said the country’s junta ruler on Thursday in an interview broadcast on national television. Captain Ibrahim Traore took over in a September 2022 coup after toppling another junta and has since sharply muzzled dissenting voices. “People need to forget about the issue of democracy. Democracy isn’t for us.”The country’s stated transition to democratic rule, initiated after the first coup in January 2022, was scheduled to end in July 2024. The United Nations has urged Burkina to reverse the decision to ban political parties and stop the repression of civic space.

Source: Punch April 03, 2026 05:27 UTC