Blaise Compaoré

At the age of 33, Compaoré organized a coup d'état, which deposed Major Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo on 4 August 1983.[15] The coup d'état was supported by Libya, which was, at the time, on the verge of war with France in Chad.[16] Other key participants were Captain Henri Zongo, Major Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani and the charismatic Captain Thomas Sankara—who was pronounced President.

During the Agacher Strip War with Mali in December 1985, Compaoré commanded Burkinabé soldiers who split into small groups and employed guerrilla tactics against Malian tanks.[17]

Compaoré took power on 15 October 1987 in a coup during which Sankara was killed.[18] Deteriorating relations with France and neighboring Ivory Coast was the reason given for the coup. Compaoré described the killing of Sankara as an 'accident', but the circumstances have never been properly investigated.[19] Upon taking the presidency, he reverted many of the policies of Sankara, claiming that his policy was a 'rectification' of the Burkinabé revolution.

He initially ruled in a triumvirate with Henri Zongo and Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani: in September 1989 these two were arrested, charged with plotting to overthrow the government, summarily tried and executed.[20]

the founders of communism and Marxist-Leninism a symbol commonly used with it.

In October 1987 Compaore and many others formed a new political party called the Popular Front it was centered around communism and Marxism–Leninism ideals.[21] He pledged to continue the revolution and what Thomas Sankara promised to do and his ideas.[22]

Compaore realizing that he needed support used many of Sankara's policies in order to keep power and have support from the people.[22] In September of 1989, while Compaoré was returning from a two-week trip to Asia, there were rumors of people plotting to overthrow Compaore’s government. The plotters would be arrested that same day. This event would lead Compaoré to reorganize the young nations government.

In 1990 Compaore introduced only limited democratic reforms.[23]

In June 1991 Compaore announced that Burkina Faso was going to adopt a new constitution.

In the 1990s Compaore supported rebels in Sierra Leone during the Sierra Leone Civil War. This war would kill over 45,000 and last 11 years. Eventually when it ended the Commonwealth won with rebels losing.

Compaoré was elected as the president of Burkina Faso in 1991, in an election boycotted by the main opposition parties in protest at the questionable means Compaoré had used to take office in the first place. Only 25 percent of the electorate voted. In 1998 Compaore was re-elected as president.

Between 1998-99 insurgence took place over reasons with economic violations in Burkina Faso. Many protests, riots, strikes, rallies, and marches took place throughout the country and honestly shocked many. Many protesters even destroyed government properties or houses. These events at the time were one of the greatest challenges that Compaore and his administration faced.[24]

Palais Kossyam, the official residence of the president of Burkina Faso since 2005

Compaore agreed to meet with United Nations supervised bodies to export weapons after allegations that he and his government has been involved in smuggling arms to rebels in Sierra Leone and Angola. Just a week before that Blaise Compaore met with German, France, and with a European Union representative. They discuss about their concerns over that the country had violated the arms embargo against Sierra Leone and Unita rebels and were being accused of it.[25]

In 2003, numerous alleged plotters were arrested, following accusations of a coup plot against Compaoré. A trial would take place in April 2004 in which they were found guilty. Many sympathizers gathered around the court cheering the plotters for their actions.[26]

Campaoré in 2003.

In August 2005, he announced his intention to contest the next presidential election. Opposition politicians regarded this as unconstitutional due to a constitutional amendment in 2000 limiting a president to two terms and reducing term lengths from seven to five years. Compaoré's supporters disputed this, saying that the amendment could not be applied retroactively,[27] and in October 2005, the constitutional council ruled that because Compaoré was a sitting president in 2000, the amendment would not apply until the end of his second term in office, thereby allowing him to present his candidacy for the 2005 election.

On 13 November 2005, Compaoré was re-elected as president, defeating 12 opponents and winning 80.35 percent of the vote. Although sixteen opposition parties announced a coalition to unseat Compaoré early on in the race, ultimately nobody wanted to give up their spot in the race to another leader in the coalition, and the pact fell through.

Following Compaoré's victory, he was sworn in for another term on 20 December 2005.[28]

In 2008 many protests took place because of high living costs and call for wage increases.[29] Compaore responded by suspending import taxes on products like food for half a year and by increasing commodity for water and electricity.[30]

Spanish Hostages Ransom

Two Spanish aid workers were abducted in November 2009. A hunt was undertaken to find the kidnappers. Just one week before the hostages were freed, Ould Sid Ahmed Ould Hama the kidnapper fled to Mali before he was found and imprisoned for 12 years. It turned out the ransom was paid by Blaise Compaore and the hostages were taken to the presidential palace and were given phones. The hostages thanked him for paying the ransom.[31]

Compaoré in 2013.

President Compaoré announced an establishment of a new Senate with 89 members and with 29 of the senators who would be selected by the president themselves while the rest chosen by local politicians.[32]

On 14 April 2011, Compaoré was reported to have fled from the capital Ouagadougou to his hometown of Ziniare after mutineering military bodyguards began a revolt in their barracks reportedly over unpaid allowances.[33] Their actions eventually spread to the presidential compound and other army bases.[33] In the night, gunfire was reported at the presidential compound and an ambulance was seen leaving the compound. Soldiers also looted shops in the city through the night.[34]

Protsters marching through the capital.

In June 2014 Compaoré's ruling party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP), called on him to organise a referendum that would allow him to alter the constitution in order to seek re-election in 2015. Otherwise, he would be forced to step down due to term limits.[35]

On 30 October 2014, the National Assembly was scheduled to debate an amendment to the constitution that would have enabled Compaoré to stand for re-election as president in 2015. Opponents protested against this by storming the parliament building in Ouagadougou, starting fires inside it and looting offices. Billowing smoke was reported by the BBC to be coming from the building.[36] Opposition spokesman Pargui Emile Paré of the People's Movement for Socialism / Federal Party described the protests as 'Burkina Faso's black spring (sic), like the Arab spring (sic)'.[37]

Compaoré reacted to the events by shelving the proposed constitutional changes, dissolving the government, declaring a state of emergency and offering to work with the opposition to resolve the crisis. Later in the day, the military, under General Honore Traore, announced that it would install a transitional government 'in consultation with all parties' and that the National Assembly was dissolved; he foresaw 'a return to the constitutional order' within a year. He did not make clear what role, if any, he envisioned for Compaoré during the transitional period.[38][39][40] Compaoré said that he was prepared to leave office at the end of the transition.[41]

On 31 October, Compaoré announced he had left the presidency and that there was a 'power vacuum'. He also called for a 'free and transparent' election within 90 days. Presidential guard officer Yacouba Isaac Zida then took over as head of state in an interim capacity. It was reported that a heavily armed convoy believed to be carrying Compaoré was traveling towards the southern town of Pô.[42] However, it diverted before reaching the town and he then fled to Ivory Coast with the support of President Alassane Ouattara.[43][44][45][46]

A week later, Jeune Afrique published an interview with Compaoré in which he alleged that 'part of the opposition was working with the army' to plot his overthrow and that 'history will tell us if they were right'. He added that he would 'not wish for his worst enemy' to be in Zida's place.[47]

The first head of state that has been in office for more than a short time after Blaise Campaoré is Roch Marc Christian Kaboré as of 29 December 2015.