The elections in Burkina Faso are not “a priority” and the Constitution will be partially modified, Captain Ibrahim Traoré said Friday evening during an interview on national television, almost a year after he came to power in a coup of state.
“It is not a priority, I tell you clearly, it is security which is the priority”, in this country undermined by jihadist violence, he replied to journalists about elections theoretically planned for July 2024.
Ibrahim Traoré also announced a partial modification of the Constitution. “The current texts do not allow us to evolve peacefully,” he responded to journalists regarding a possible change to the Burkinabe fundamental law.
“We are going to touch a part” and make a “partial modification” of the Constitution, he said, deploring a text which according to him reflects “the opinion of a handful of enlightened people”, to the detriment of a “popular mass”. If the elections do not constitute “a priority”, he nevertheless added that “our bet still stands” to organize a vote, without specifying a date.
” Ensure the security “
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, at the head of Burkina since September 30, 2022, says he declared “on the first day” of his taking power that he wanted to “spend the minimum possible time in this fight”.
“There will not be an election which will be concentrated only in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso and in a few surrounding towns, all Burkinabè must choose their president,” he said, referring to the two towns. spared from frequent jihadist attacks.
“We must ensure security” and “people will be able to move freely, go wherever they want to campaign and there, allow all Burkinabè to choose their president,” he added. Several thousand people demonstrated in the country on Friday in support of the military regime, calling for the adoption of a new Constitution.