Damiba and ex-president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré during discussions
Former President Roch Kaboré made his first appearance with his heartthrob, Paul-Henri Damiba, on June 21, 2022 at the Presidential Palace in Kossyam. Several voices have been raised since the coup to demand the total release of the ex-president despite the fact that he returned to his home on April 06, 2022.
The handshake between the President of the Transition and the former Heads of State of Burkina, in this case Roch Kaboré, is undoubtedly influenced by the political context of the country, marked by the appeal of several political parties and organizations of civil society to the « total release » of the president who was overthrown on January 24th.
By this gesture, the authorities of the transition respond, in any case, to one of the requirements of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and certain political figures, which is this release.
This meeting between former Heads of State and the current authorities comes, it should be remembered, at a time when the ECOWAS Heads of State continue to demand the full release of Roch Kaboré and an ordinary summit is planned. next July 3 devoted to the situation in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Following calls for release, ECOWAS had given an ultimatum to the transitional authorities, until March 31, 2022, for the « unconditional release » of the former president, under penalty of sanctions.
It is finally on April 06 that the deposed President will return to his home, after more than a month of detention.
Thus, one is tempted to wonder if the authorities wanted to show the sub-regional institution their desire to guarantee the freedom of the former head of state? Has the process of the total release of the former president been initiated?
Moreover, the press release from the presidency of Faso underlines, in speaking of the meeting with the former presidents, that this is the “beginning of a series of actions with a view to defusing the political situation”.
In any case, the socio-political context of the country obliges the authorities to « relax the atmosphere » at the risk of facing new popular discontent.
Yaovi AGBEGNIGAN
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