Anti-government protesters in Burkina Faso today set their National parliament ablaze following a decision by members of parliament to review the country's constitution to allow President Blaise Compaore extend his 27-year rule. The parliament members were due to vote on a change on their constitution which would allow the sitting president, Blaise Compaore - who took power in a coup in 1987 - to stand for re-election again next year, when he was due to stand down.
The angry protesters who did not buy into the proposed constitution review stormed
the National Assembly building in the capital Ouagadougou, ransacking
offices and setting fire to cars, before attacking the national
television headquarters. At least one person died in the mayhem.
One
of the protesters said;
The violence forced the government to temporarily scrap a vote on the constitutional amendments. Relative calm has since returned to the capital city. See pics from the mayhem"We did this because Blaise was trying to stay too long. We are tired of him. We want a change. He must go!”
Photo credit: AFP
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