By Spy Uganda Correspondent
In the wake of Monday’s coup in Burkina Faso, an influential West African regional bloc has suspended Burkina Faso from its governing bodies, sources have confirmed.
The move came Friday at an extraordinary virtual Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit to discuss the political situation in the country convened by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s president and chairman of the bloc’s authority of heads of state and government.
Since the takeover by the military, through a group calling itself the Patriotic Movement for Liberation and Restoration, figures close to deposed President Roch Marc Christian Kabore have been arrested.
Media reports said the head of the National Assembly, Alassane Bala Sakande, Prime Minister Lassina Zerbo, and other high-ranking members or figures close to Kabore’s government have been barred from leaving their homes.
Kabore was detained Monday and later resigned following the coup.
The UN has called for the immediate release of Kabore and high-level officials who have been detained.
ECOWAS seems to be another ‘toothless’ body that has no tough hand against members that misbehave. After Guinea Coup, ECOWAS demanded a return to the constitutional order and the immediate release of President Conde, who was arrested by special forces led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady which coup leaders rebuffed and the only punishment was just a suspension.
Elsewhere in the region, Mali’s military staged coups in August 2020 and then again in May this year. ECOWAS condemned the coups and temporarily imposed sanctions and that was all which leaves many thinking that these ‘dormant’ regional blocs have less or no impact on democracy.
