Yacouba Isaac Zida
Isaac Zida | |
---|---|
![]() Zida in 2015 | |
Prime Minister of Burkina Faso | |
In office 23 September 2015 – 29 December 2015 | |
President | Michel Kafando(Transitional) |
Preceded by | Vacant |
Succeeded by | Paul Kaba Thieba |
In office 19 November 2014 – 17 September 2015 | |
President | Michel Kafando(Transitional) |
Preceded by | Luc-Adolphe Tiao |
Succeeded by | Vacant |
Head of State of Burkina Faso | |
Interim | |
In office 1 November 2014 – 18 November 2014 | |
Preceded by | Honoré Traoré(as transitional head of state) |
Succeeded by | Michel Kafando(as Transitional President) |
Personal details | |
Born | Upper Volta(nowBurkina Faso) | 16 November 1965
Political party | Independent |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | Army of Burkina Faso |
Years of service | Until 2017 |
Rank | Divisional General |
Unit | Regiment of Presidential Security(until 2015) |
*Kafando was brieflydeposedfrom 17 September 2015 – 23 September 2015 byGilbert Diendéré. | |
Yacouba Isaac Zida(born 16 November 1965)[1]is aBurkinabémilitary officerwho briefly served as Burkina Faso's interim head of state in November 2014. He took power in the aftermath of the2014 Burkinabé uprising,sidelining a more senior officer,Honoré Nabéré Traoré.A few weeks later, a civilian,Michel Kafando,was chosen to replace Zida as transitional head of state; Kafando then appointed Zida asPrime Ministeron 19 November 2014.
Zida was briefly removed from office by theRegiment of Presidential Securityin aSeptember 2015 coup,but he was restored as Prime Minister within a week.
Early career
[edit]Zida obtained a master's degree in International Management from theUniversity of Lyon.[2]He also received military training from the American army.[3]Under PresidentBlaise Compaoré,he served as deputy commander of theRegiment of Presidential Security.[citation needed]He was a UN peacekeeper inDemocratic Republic of the Congofrom 2008 to 2009.[2]
2014 Burkinabé uprising
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Palais_Kossyam_2013.jpg/220px-Palais_Kossyam_2013.jpg)
During the2014 Burkinabé uprising,President Compaoré resigned on 31 October 2014 and army chiefHonoré Nabéré Traoréannounced that he was taking over as head of state, but his claim to power was immediately contested by a group of junior officers headed by Zida, who aligned himself with the protesters.[4]On 1 November 2014, the armed forces unanimously backed Zida to lead the country in an interim capacity towards the2015 presidential election.[5][6]
On 17 November 2014, a civilian,Michel Kafando,was chosen to replace Zida as transitional head of state, and he was sworn in on 18 November.[7]Kafando then appointed Zida asPrime Minister of Burkina Fasoon 19 November 2014.[8]In the transitional government, appointed on 23 November, Zida held the defense portfolio in addition to his role as Prime Minister.[9][10]
In mid-2015 there was a dispute between Zida and the Regiment of Presidential Security. In early July it was reported that he had resigned, but he refuted the reports and criticized the press for careless reporting.[11]Nevertheless, he faced opposition from the military as well as Compaoré supporters, leaving him in a precarious position, although he maintained the support of Sankarists led byBénéwendé Sankara.[12]On 19 July 2015, President Kafando stripped Zida of the defense portfolio and took over the portfolio himself. He also dismissed Auguste Denise Barry, who was closely associated with Zida, from his key post as Minister of Territorial Administration and Security.[13][14]
On 16 September 2015, two days after a recommendation from the National Reconciliation and Reforms Commission to disband theRegiment of Presidential Security(RSP), members of the RSPdetainedPresident Kafando and Prime Minister Zida.[15][16]On 23 September, after the coup failed, Zida was reinstated as Prime Minister.[17]
In November 2015, near the end of the transitional period, Zida was promoted from the rank of lieutenant-colonel togénéral de divisionin line with a law passed during the transition that provided for promotions to be granted "for services rendered to the nation".[18]Roch Marc Christian Kaboré,who was elected as President, was sworn in on 29 December 2015[19]and subsequently appointedPaul Kaba Thieba,an economist, as Prime Minister.[20]
The law providing for Zida's promotion was scrapped by the newly elected National Assembly. With permission from President Kaboré, Zida traveled to Canada in January 2016 to visit his family. He was due to return in February, but he failed to do so despite orders from Kaboré. In December 2016, Kaboré said that Zida would be expelled from the army for desertion.[21]
References
[edit]- ^"Burkina Faso: qui est Isaac Zida, adoubé par l'armée et déjà contesté?".Radio France Internationale(in French). 2014-11-02.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-11-02.Retrieved2019-01-26.
- ^ab"Zida, le nouvel homme fort du Burkina Faso".3 November 2014.Retrieved3 November2014.
- ^Burkina Faso: Not so pretty now,economist.
- ^"Two feuding army chiefs both claim power after Burkina Faso's president resigns, flees the country".ABC (Australia). 1 November 2014.Retrieved1 November2014.
- ^"Burkina Army Backs Zida As Interim Leader".New Vision.Kampala. Agence France Presse. 1 November 2014.Retrieved2 November2014.
- ^"Burkina Faso Has New Leader".VOA.Retrieved1 November2014.
- ^"Kafando sworn in as Burkina Faso transitional president",Reuters, 18 November 2014.
- ^Mathieu Bonkoungou and Nadoun Coulibaly,"Burkina Faso names army colonel Zida as prime minister",Reuters, 19 November 2014.
- ^"Le gouvernement de la transition est connu",Lefaso.net, 23 November 2014(in French).
- ^"Transitional government appointed in Burkina Faso",Reuters, 24 November 2014.
- ^Mariama Diallo,"Burkina Faso PM denies resignation rumors",Voice of America, 6 July 2015.
- ^"Burkina Faso: qui sont les soutiens et les opposants de Zida?",Radio France Internationale, 15 July 2015(in French).
- ^"Burkina Faso reshuffles govt 3 months before polls",Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 20 July 2015.
- ^"Burkina Faso reshuffles government 3 months before elections",Reuters, 20 July 2015.
- ^Ouedraogo, Brahima (16 September 2015)."Military detains Burkina Faso's president, prime minister weeks ahead of landmark vote".U.S. News & World Report.Associated Press.Retrieved16 September2015.
- ^Coulibaly, Nadoun; Flynn, Daniel (16 September 2015)."Burkina Faso presidential guard detains cabinet - military sources".Reuters.Retrieved16 September2015.
- ^Patrick Fort and Romaric Ollo Hien,"Burkina president resumes power after week-long coup",Agence France-Presse, 23 September 2015.
- ^"Zida nommé Général de Division",Burkina24, 27 November 2016(in French).
- ^"Burkina Faso swears in new president, capping transition",Agence France-Presse, 29 December 2015.
- ^"Burkina Faso's president names economist as prime minister",Reuters, 7 January 2016.
- ^"Burkina: Yacouba Isaac Zida sera rayé de l’armée pour « désertion »",Jeune Afrique,30 December 2016(in French).