Burkina Faso: A Campaign Tinged with Insecurity

It is time for Roch Kaboré's verdict.

The Burkinabe president, seeking a second term in office after Sunday's vote, will have to defend his five years at the head of state, that has been much criticized after five years of rising insecurity in the country.

Zéphirin Diabré, leader of the opposition and member of the party of former President Blaise Compaoré, heavily denounced through out the course of his campaign, the president’s approach in the fight against jihadist insurgency.

The electoral campaign was marked by a significant security deployment.

Given the insecurity, close to 1,500 villages (out of more than 8,000) will not vote on Sunday, representing 17% of the national territory, the Constitutional Council reported.

The army, disorganized and poorly equipped, continues to pays a heavy price in its fight against jihadist groups and seems unable to stop the expansion of their areas of influence.

Violence in Burkina Faso has intensified over the past two years. To date, 2,254 people have died since the beginning of 2020.