Key Points
- Burkina Faso’s junta has dismissed prime minister Apollinaire Kyelem.
- Members of the dissolved government will remain in office temporarily.
- Security conditions have worsened under Traore’s leadership, analysts say.
In a decision released Friday by the office of military chief Ibrahim Traore, the ruling military junta in Burkina Faso dissolved the government and fired interim Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela.
Junta dismisses prime minister without explanation
Tambela’s firing was not explained in the ruling. Shortly after Traore came to office in September 2022, after a military coup overthrew the nation’s previous leader, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, he was named interim prime minister.
With Traore becoming the most recent in a string of military coups in the unstable Sahel region of West Africa, Tambela’s appointment was a part of a larger change in authority.
Members of the disbanded administration would remain in their positions until a new cabinet is established, the junta stated in a statement. Although no timeframe was given, the decree said that a new government will be named later.
Due to the influx of Islamist insurgents from neighboring Mali, many of whom have connections to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, Burkina Faso has been dealing with an increase in insecurity in recent years. Particularly in the northern and eastern areas, the militants have terrorized residents and displaced many. Security circumstances have continued to worsen despite the military junta’s intense concentration on fighting these insurgents.
Security situation worsens under Traore’s leadership
Analysts and human rights organisations have documented a rise in violence and a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, despite Traore’s pledges to strengthen security when he came to power in 2022.
The government of the junta has also been charged with suppressing opposing voices and restricting journalistic freedom.
According to Reuters, rights organisations have expressed alarm over the regime’s repression of dissent, citing instances in which activists and journalists have been imprisoned or subjected to harassment for criticising the administration.
It is unclear how the most recent leadership changes will impact the nation’s attempts to regain stability as the junta faces increasing criticism from both the inside and the outside.
