Political crisis in Burkina Faso

But gebana Afrique is currently faced with great uncertainty. Since yesterday morning production has come to a halt; all workers in the cashew processing plant were sent home. "Because we are not politically involved with the regimes and our buildings are away from the centre and the major unrest, we had no concerns for gebana Afrique," explains Dave Heubi, "but in this emergency situation understandably everyone wants to be with their family." Now they are waiting in Bobo Dioulasso to see what the situation will be like on Monday.

The unrest will in any case lead to export delays: when customs and the railway will operate again is anyone’s guess. Dave Heubi’s biggest concern right now, however, is access to cash: "When will the banks reopen so that we can pay wages and suppliers?"

Another worry concerns an employee of gebana who had privately been active in local politics for the president’s party. Because the houses of several members of the — by now former — ruling party were looted by angry demonstrators, he has as a precaution taken his family and himself to safety abroad.

How the political situation in Burkina Faso will develop further cannot be said at this time. "The general who wants to take power provisionally is rejected by the demonstrators as a ‘puppet general’," comments Dave Heubi on the recent events. The population is on the one hand relieved by Compaoré’s resignation, on the other hand unsettled by the military.

Let us hope that the current developments in Burkina Faso are steps on the path to more democracy and that normality will return to the country as soon as possible. All the best, Burkina!

BACKGROUND

After violent protests and the setting on fire of the parliamentary building, the Burkinabé parliament was dissolved yesterday. The military announced yesterday evening that it would install a transitional government; shortly afterwards President Blaise Compaoré declared that he himself would chair it until the end of his term in 2015. Even this morning Dave Heubi said: “The situation is confused: Who has the power?”

The origin of the unrest that has occupied Burkina Faso since the beginning of the week and culminated today in the resignation of the president was his plan to have the parliament approve, by amending the constitution, a further extension of his already 27-year presidency.