Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s president, dropped a bombshell at a flag-raising event last week, saying his country is done with democracy. He is calling it a “popular, progressive revolution” instead, not some free-for-all rule. “We’re not in democracy, we are in a revolution,” he told the crowd at Koulouba Palace, arguing that letting everyone talk and act wild just brings chaos, not progress.
Traoré’s throwing shade at the idea that democracy builds strong nations. “Name one country that grew big with democracy, it is fake,” he said. He thinks democracy is just the cherry on top, not the cake itself. The 37-year-old, who grabbed power in a September 2022 coup kicking out Paul-Henri Damiba, says his team will keep explaining this revolution to the people until they get it.
Traore is not shy about shaking things up. Recently, he told Saudi Arabia to skip their offer of 200 mosques and put cash into amenities his people really need like roads or schools. Traoré is all about doing things his way, and Burkina Faso’s are sure on a wild ride with him steering the activities of the nation.