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Burkina Faso leader says to hand power to transitional body

03 November 2014 20:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Burkina Faso's army will quickly cede power to a transitional government and appoint a new head of state, the country's interim President Isaac Zida said on Monday, looking to calm accusations that the military had seized power in a coup, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Longtime president Blaise Compaore stepped down on Friday following two days of mass protests in the impoverished West African nation over his bid to extend his 27-year rule by amending the constitution.

On Saturday, the military appointed Lieutenant Colonel Zida as provisional head of state, drawing criticism from opposition politicians, the African Union and Western powers who want to see a swift return to civilian rule.

The African Union, whose democratic charter binds its 54 member states to take action against coups on the continent, plied more pressure on the Burkina military on Monday, giving it an ultimatum to hand back power to a civilian administration within two weeks or face sanctions.

Zida told a gathering of diplomats and journalists in the capital Ouagadougou that executive powers would be passed to a transitional government, in accordance with the constitution.