Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba | |
---|---|
![]() Damiba in 2022 | |
Interim President of Burkina Faso | |
Assumed office 31 January 2022 | |
Prime Minister | Albert Ouédraogo |
Preceded by | Roch Marc Christian Kaboré |
President of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration | |
Assumed office 24 January 2022 | |
Deputy | Sidsoré Kader Ouédraogo |
Personal details | |
Born | January 1981 Ouagadougou, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) | (age 41)
Nationality | Burkinabé |
Alma mater | École militaire Conservatoire national des arts et métiers |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | Army of Burkina Faso |
Years of service | 2003–present |
Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
Unit | ![]() (until 2011) |
Military career | |
Battles/wars | Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso 2022 Burkinabé coup d'état |
Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba (French: [pɔl ɑ̃ʁi sɑ̃daɔɡɔ damiba]; born January 1981[1]) is a Burkinabé military officer who heads the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR), having overthrown President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on 24 January 2022 in the 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état.[2] On 31 January, the military junta restored the constitution and appointed Damiba as interim president.[3]
Early life and education
Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba graduated from the École militaire in Paris. During his studies he met with future Guinean president Mamady Doumbouya, who was also training there.[4] He holds a master's degree in criminology from the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM) in Paris and a defense expert certification in management, command and strategy.[5] From 2010 to 2020, he held training exercises in the United States.[1]
Military career
Damiba is a lieutenant colonel and commander of the third military region covering Ouagadougou, Manga, Koudougou and Fada N'gourma. He is a former member the Regiment of Presidential Security, the former presidential guard of Blaise Compaoré.[6][7] Damiba left the RSP in 2011 after an army mutiny.[8]
In 2019, Damiba testified in the trial of conspirators behind a 2015 coup in Burkina Faso that briefly deposed a transitional government, according to reports from the time in Burkinabe media.[2]
Damiba has gained popularity for his actions during the Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso.[9] He called in the past for the Burkinabé government to recruit mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group against Islamist rebels. The government of Roch Marc Kaboré was strictly opposed to the proposal, on the grounds that doing so would alienate Burkina Faso from the West.[4]
In late 2022, an army of jihadists overran the base of a gendarmerie in Inata, Soum, slaughtering 49 gendarmes and four civilians. A significant uproar rose in response to the attack, spurred on by revelations about the poor treatment of the gendarmes by the government prior to the raid, forcing numerous government officials to resign or have their ministries shuffled.[10] According to online African-American reference center BlackPast.org "It later came to light that the gendarmes at Inata had not received food rations for two weeks... [they] were forced to slaughter animals in the vicinity to stay alive."[11] Kaboré appointed Damiba, who by then was deeply moved by the events at Inata,[11] as the head of an "anti-terrorist operations" ministry that would seek security for Eastern Burkina Faso and Ouagadougou.[12]
In 2021, Damiba published a book about the fight against Islamists, West African Armies and Terrorism: Uncertain Responses?[13]
Damiba has received training through a number of United States programs. In 2010 and 2020, he participated in the Flintlock Joint Combined Exchange Training exercises including raising awareness of human rights and laws of armed conflicts.[14] In 2013, Damiba participated in the U.S. State Department funded African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance course. In 2013 and 2014, Damiba attended the Military Intelligence Basic Officer Course for Africa. In 2018 and 2019, he trained in Burkina Faso with a U.S. Defense Department Civil Military Support Element.[15]
2022 coup d'état
On 24 January 2022, Damiba led the 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état deposing and detaining President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and Prime Minister Lassina Zerbo.[16] While people were celebrating the coup in Ouagadougou, some supporters carried Russian flags, as a sign of their call to receive help from Russia in their fight against Islamist terrorism.[17] After the announcement, the military declared that the National Assembly and the Government had been dissolved, while the Constitution had been suspended.[18] On 31 January, the military junta restored the Constitution and appointed Damiba as the interim president.[19]
Public image
The 2022 coup was widely popular in Burkina Faso.[20][21][22] Damiba has become known for the red beret he wears during speeches,[23] believed to be an impression of Burkinabé revolutionary and founding father Thomas Sankara, whose speeches also carried similar rhetoric to Damiba's.[24]
Damiba had already gained praise prior to the coup for his activities fighting jihadists.[25]
References
- ^ a b "Who is Burkina Faso coup leader Lt-Col Damiba?". BBC News. 26 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Fresh from promotion, Burkina Faso writer-colonel leads a coup". Reuters. 24 January 2022. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso restores constitution, names coup leader president". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ a b Jr, Philip Obaji (25 January 2022). "African President Was Ousted Just Weeks After Refusing to Pay Russian Paramilitaries". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Who is Paul-Henri Damiba, leader of the Burkina Faso coup?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Ogbohou, Didier (24 January 2022). "Biographie: Qui est réellement Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba". Africanolimit (in French). Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Coup d'Etat au Burkina : qui est Paul Henri Damiba" (in French). 24 January 2022. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Qui est le nouvel homme fort ?". L'Observateur Paalga (in French). Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso coup: Why soldiers have overthrown President Kaboré". BBC News. 25 January 2022. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Who is Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, leader of Burkina Faso's military takeover?". RFI. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Paul-Henry Sandaogo Damiba (1981- ) •". 16 May 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Who is Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, leader of Burkina Faso's military takeover?". RFI. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso coup: Why soldiers have overthrown President Kaboré". BBC News. 25 January 2022. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Who is Burkina Faso coup leader Lt-Col Damiba?". BBC. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ Turse, Nick (26 January 2022). "Another U.S.-Trained Soldier Stages a Coup in West Africa". The Intercept. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso army says it has deposed President Kabore". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Who is Burkina Faso coup leader Lt-Col Damiba?". BBC. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso military says it has seized power". BBC News. 24 January 2022. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso restores constitution, names coup leader president". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso Junta Leader Inaugurated as Nation's President". VOA. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
Damiba’s had wide popular support since taking control
- ^ "Burkina Faso coup: Why soldiers have overthrown President Kaboré". BBC News. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Ndiaga, Anne Mimault And Thiam (25 January 2022). "Burkina Faso crowd celebrates West Africa's latest coup". Reuters. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Fresh from promotion, Burkina Faso writer-colonel leads a coup". Reuters. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Burkina Faso coup: New leader Damiba gives first speech". BBC News. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ AfricaNews (16 February 2022). "Expectations and reactions in Burkina Faso following inaguration of junta head". Africanews. Retrieved 15 June 2022.