BURKINA FASO - HOW DID WE GET HERE?

By: Tumusiime K. Deo

International Communications Consultant

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So Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore is now a “thing” of the past after his people gave him a surprise send off. The ‘King’ for 27 cool years, Mr. Compaore was so unceremoniously ousted; and message to him and others like him was loud and clear… “You’ve ruled long enough we don’t quite feel you”. Did the people commit any mistake in ransacking Parliament and torching the city? Perhaps that was just the last option they were left with.

In the aftermath of Compaore’s ouster, the United States and regional economic block ECOWAS hashed in to condemn the military’s takeover of the state of affairs in the country. To them and to us all, the Million Dollar question that must be answered is: Just How Did We Get Here? How could no one have read the signs well enough to prevent what has happened?

 For starters, it is not enough for the U.S and whomsoever to rash into condemning the military takeover especially when they have not done enough to prevent the country from getting to this level. Besides, the affairs in Burkina Faso are local in nature and once the local people have spoken, then the best the rest of us can do, is to empathize with them. Civilian leaders may have the brains to lead a country, but unless their programmes rhyme with the people’s, then they will definitely be swept aside. In any case, it would be foolhardy for the military to look on as a country is torn apart by an individual clinging onto power. This is how thousands continue to lose their lives in places like Syria. For me therefore, it is kudos to Lt. Isaac Zida and his men for doing their best to return the country to order.

 The wind of commotion that has swept in Burkina Faso and elsewhere, blew in Uganda long time ago in 1986, when the army led by then youngster Yoweri Museveni said enough was enough, and came in to correct the mayhem. Would it have been enough for the U.S and whomsoever to condemn Mr. Museveni for taking over power the way he did? According to textbook provisions (the law), yes; but much of the people’s aspirations are contained in the unwritten constitution. If these are not met, and when they are not met, and when they are not met, they do not need any legalistic backing to make their voices heard. By ‘legalistic’, I am not in any way suggesting that laws are always not pro-people; but laws alone cannot put food at the people’s table. Could this be the reason as to why our Lord Jesus disregarded the laws of the time? And St. Paul even said that since Jesus had come, he had marked the end of the bondage of the laws! In fact, Paul says in Galatians 3, that; “So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith”. This is where the inevitable people power derives its inspiration- and it you don’t need to be a Christian to believe this.

 A number of countries have very good legislations on paper but implementation is selective for as long as it suits the best interests of the powers that be. It seems too easy nowadays to doctor constitutional provisions and other legislations in order to buttress legal justification for what some people call defilement of the law. What the powers forget is that human beings are just as frugal as they are-so frugal that even with bullets flying over their heads, they will march for change and nothing can stop them once the time is ripe. However, you and I know that it’s absolutely uncalled for that a country should achieve some level of development and then have it all razed down to the ground. Thank goodness the Burkinabes made their statement with little destruction and loss of lives compared with what we’ve seen elsewhere. So leaders must always read the signs and act rightly to avoid worst case scenarios.

 What is perhaps interesting is that rulers are often the first to disregard the written laws. But even when the Bible seems to suggest in the Book of Revelations that nothing can be added or deducted from the Bible, human life is so dynamic that no situation can last forever-thus the need to tease out different approaches to achieve a desired end. Thus far, you wouldn’t blame leaders for not following laws to the letter; but when a country chooses the path of madness, then the insanity must be spread across the board for anyone to thrive on it. I have seen in Uganda for example; when convoys decide to drive over pavements to avoid jam, other road users tend to follow, including motorcycle riders. But the law bars anyone from driving on pavements, doesn’t it? Where then would the person in the lead vehicle have the moral authority to question the sanity of the followers after leading in breaking the traffic rules? But the question is; For how long can any country thrive on insanity?

 Well, one thing that is not in doubt is that our leaders clearly understand what the people’s minimum needs are, whether provided in the constitution or not. Anyone who delivers on these to the people’s minimum satisfaction will be seen as a great leader no matter how long he remains in power. In Britain for example, nobody votes for the Queen, and for as long as the people’s minimum aspirations are in focus, it’s business as usual year in, year out. Once there’s a functional pro-people system, the likes of Campaore can continue to grip onto power and no one will be bothered. However, as long as a leader is adjudged to be hindering the people’s dreams, written or unwritten, it’s just a question of time and he’ll be kicked out of the way.

 I know that some Ugandans are so excited about the events in Burkina Faso, and I even heard former Ethics Minister Miria Matembe suggesting that Uganda’s redemption was close-but it cannot be merely a copy and paste situation. Mr. Museveni has an added advantage of being both a military man and also has quite rubbed shoulders with the ordinary man/woman in the country. This is visible in his chameleon style of leadership for he quite knows which button to press, when and how-at least for the time being. He could ride on this for a while longer as an individual, but in no way should anyone disregard what has happened elsewhere to leaders that have stayed in power beyond two decades. There are obviously big lessons to learn and learn we must for Uganda’s foreseen and unforeseen future.