Burkina Faso Bars Former President Compaore’s Allies from Running for Office

Burkina Faso Lawmakers have modified the electoral code to prevent people from standing for office if they supported a failed move in 2014 to allow then president, Blaise Compaore, to renew his term.

The country is run by a transitional government ahead of elections in October, and current ministers are also not authorised to run for president.

Compaore was ousted from power in October 2014 following mass protests against the bid by his supporters to revise article 37 of the constitution.

He seized power in a coup in 1987 in Burkina Faso, a country that produces gold and cotton.

Under the new law passed on Tuesday, “anybody is ineligible (to run) who supported the unconstitutional change that threatened the principle of democratic choice and especially the principle of presidential term limits.”

The new rule applies to all elections in 2015 and 2016 and effectively bars members of Compaore’s government and the leaders of his Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) party.

It also effectively shuts the door against Compaore’s allies.

Deputies from the previous parliamentary majority who supported Compaore said the law could weaken social cohesion.

The CDP rejected the law and said it was an attempt by a small group of activists to confiscate power.

Security forces on Tuesday dispersed youth supporters of Compaore outside the headquarters of the Transitional National Council.

Separately, police said on Tuesday that they had arrested eight members of Compaore’s regime.

Those arrested included former Minister for Mines and Energy, Salif Kabore. Their alleged offences included embezzlement, disturbing public peace and illegal political activities.