Halfway there: Burkina Faso and its struggle towards democracy

Amidst a transitional change from an authoritarian regime to a more democratic one,  Burkina Faso is currently under a leader that, if unchecked, runs the risk of following in the footsteps of former president Blaise Campaore’s administration -- one that after 27 years of dictatorial rule sought to rewrite the nation’s constitution once again to grant itself another shot at reelection. This time, however, in a heroic effort to regain and safeguard their democratic rights, Burkinabe patriots from all walks of life revolted against this regime, forcing the former president to relinquish his presidency in hopes to make way for a form of governance worthy of the nation’s democratic constitution.

Since the departure of President Blaise, however, the nation has found itself in an even less democratic state as it is now ruled by a military regime, which surveys the streets to ensure tranquility and order under the leadership of interim president Isaac Zida. Although Zida claims that his primary goal is not to usurp power for the sake of power acquisition itself, he must still be kept under close watch so as to ward off the possibility of having a state that is subjected to strict military rule for an extended period of time.

Currently, the nation’s affairs are being directed as a military knows best. Even within the most democratic of societies, militaries tend to be the least democratic institutions. They are strictly riddled with bureaucracies and chains of command, leaving very little room for individual contributions. Military institutions are primarily structured for the optimization of efficiency and not for the effective representation of constituents; the opinions and desires of those at the bottom of the ladder often do not matter. Hence, although this interim military regime has not been given nearly enough time to demonstrate its ability to lead effectively and democratically, it must be checked for two pivotal reasons: It was not democratically elected, and, just by its inherent nature, the military is arguably not the best group to lead the nation at this pivotal point.

Now more than ever, the country needs the strong leadership of an elected civilian leader; one who does not derive their leadership and authority simply their ability to employ physical force in the advancement of various agendas. A strong, central and legitimate authority that gains its legitimacy and authority from Burkinabes -- coupled with a democratic constitution -- is absolutely essential at this point in the country’s quest for a fully democratic government.

With hopes of achieving these two ends,, the African Union has given the current interim leader of Burkina Faso 2 weeks to step down and make way for real democratic governance, which requires a democratically elected civilian who would reflect the people’s wishes in terms of policies and leadership. Although the situation in the country remains tense, Burkina Faso seems prepared to welcome truly democratic leadership: banks are back in business, markets are back in place, public transportation and other local systems are back in operation.