Burkina Faso’s ruling party has backed President Kabore in his quest to run for re-election despite struggling to crush a bloody jihadist insurgency.
On saturday 11, 2020, Simon Compaore, president of the People’s Movement for Progress (MPP), made the announcement to cheering supporters at a stadium rally in the capital Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
It has been made public that the decision, which came after several hours of closed-door discussions among party delegates, came as little surprise, as he was his party’s only candidate to run.
Despite the strong support from the Party for Kabore, he did not attend the event.
But in a message read out by a party spokesman, he welcomed the decision and promised to build “solidarity and development” in the country.
Thousands turned out in a massive show of force, filling a 5,000-capacity sports stadium in Ouagadougou and 20 giant tents outside.
Crowds wearing the party colours of white and orange had been bussed in from all over the country.
The prime minister, national assembly speaker and first lady also turned up at the stadium, ignoring the coronavirus pandemic, to voice support as the crowd inside the stadium shouted “MPP Victory!”
“It’s a message to opposition political parties. They shouldn’t think they can beat our champion,” said Kader Tapsoba, a 46-year-old businessman.
Do you think it’s fair for the incumbent President to vie for re-election?
