The opposition and part of civil society called for demonstrations on Saturday across the country to express their dissatisfaction with the security situation. Last weekend, spontaneous marches took place in several cities in the Center North and Sahel region. On Wednesday night, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré fired his defense and security ministers. Despite this gesture, the call to demonstrate was upheld.
“It’s a patriotic march,” explains Eddie Komboïgo. For the opposition leader, the change of government announced on Wednesday, does not change the situation. “We are demonstrating for peace in Burkina, to support our defense and security forces and the displaced people.”
The opposition assures us, it is not about instrumentalising the issue of uncertainty for political purposes. “If the new government gets results on the ground, we will be the first to welcome it,” concludes Eddie Komboïgo.
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“The opposition is testing its capacity for mobilization,” explains Augustin Loada. According to this professor of political science at Thomas Sankara University, the most important thing for this mobilization day remains to know whether Burkinabè will be able to confront terrorism together.
“Anger is legitimate,” he continues, “but we must not forget the fact that what is at stake is the nation state of Burkina Faso, it is not the survival of the government or the opposition.”
In a speech to the nation on Sunday, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré called on the organizers to suspend the planned marches, “so as not to create a bed of division in the face of the common enemy.
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