Burkina Faso’s military junta on Monday announced it has restored the country’s constitution and appointed the coup’s leader as head of state for a transitional period, reported Anadolu Agency.
In a statement read on national television, the military government, which calls itself the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR), announced that it had approved a fundamental act that lifts the suspension of the constitution, a move that was declared after the January 24 coup.
According to the statement, the 37-article document guarantees the independence of the judiciary and presumption of innocence, and basic liberties listed in the constitution such as freedom of movement and freedom of speech.
Under the fundamental act, it said, the military government ensures the continuity of the state pending the establishment of transitional bodies.
The statement, however, did not mention a timeline for the transition period. It formally identified coup leader Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba as president of the MPSR.
Damiba led a coup last week that ousted Burkina Faso’s President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who was serving a second term in the West African country.
Under the act, Damiba would serve as head of state, supreme chief of the National Armed Forces, the guarantor of the judiciary, and national independence. He also will also guarantee Burkina Faso’s territorial integrity, the state’s continuity, and its compliance with international treaties. He will have regulatory power and will accredit ambassadors to foreign nations.
The statement added that the MPSR will have two vice presidents and a coordinator, but it did not mention any names.
The announcement was made shortly after the African Union (AU) suspended Burkina Faso for the military takeover. On Friday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also suspended Burkina Faso from its ranks and warned of possible sanctions pending the outcome of meetings with the military government.
