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News > World

Burkina Faso Elects New President

  • Roch Marc Christian Kabore (C) attends a ceremony marking the return of the transitional government in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Sept. 23, 2015.

    Roch Marc Christian Kabore (C) attends a ceremony marking the return of the transitional government in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Sept. 23, 2015. | Photo: Reuters

Published 1 December 2015
Opinion

Burkina Faso has announced that Roch Marc Christian Kabore will be the country’s new president after a historic election victory. 

Burkina Faso’s new president is Roch Marc Christian Kabore of the Movement of People for Progress party, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced Tuesday morning. The INEC confirmed he won 53.5 percent of the vote that there is no need for a recount.

The election is the first since the previous President Blaise Compaore and his Congress for Democracy and Progress party were ousted from power in the 2014 uprising.

Kobore served as prime minister under Compaore but opposed the president's plans to extend his stay in power. Along with other high ranking party members, Kobore quit the party last year.

Supporters of President-elect Roch Marc Kabore cheer at Kabore's campaign headquarters in Ouagadougou | Photo: Reuters

Compaore’s 27 years in power was brought to an abrupt end by street protests in October 2014 and he fled to neighbouring Ivory Coast.

Since the Congress for Democracy and Progress party was overthrown, an interim government headed by Michel Kafando has overseen the running the country.

Kabore was one of 14 electoral candidates in the running to replace the long standing leader, with Zephirin Diabre coming in second place with 29.6 percent of the vote, while Tahirou Barry came in third with 3 percent.

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Barthelemy Kere, electoral commission president, said 60 percent of the country's 5.5 million registered voters participated in Sunday's election.

The vote was due to take place in October but was cancelled after a failed presidential coup in September.

In the wake of the coup, temporary President Kafando and the prime minister were taken hostage. Eleven people were killed and 271 others were wounded as presidential guard soldiers clashed with anti-coup protesters on the streets of the capital Ouagadougou.

The elite presidential guard was dissolved soon after.

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