Burkina Faso’s military ruler sacks Prime Minister, dissolves entire government

Burkina Faso’s military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré has sacked his Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the entire government.

The dismissal of the head of government and his cabinet was announced in a decree which did not specify why the prime minister was sacked, but said members of the dissolved government will continue to serve until a new cabinet is appointed.

Tambela, a civilian, was named prime minister in 2022, shortly after Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a coup.

His dismissal comes barely weeks after another civilian prime minister, Choguel Maïga, was sacked by coup leader Gen Assimi Goïta in neighbouring Mali.

It remains unclear if Capt Traoré will emulate his Malian counterpart by appointing a military official as prime minister, to maintain the junta’s grip on power.