Why Burkina Faso has dissolved its Electoral Commission
Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament has voted to dissolve the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), transferring its duties to the Ministry of Territorial Administration in a move the government says is aimed at streamlining state institutions.
The Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) unanimously approved the bill on Tuesday, October 28, formally bringing an end to the body that has overseen elections since 2004.
The five-article law orders the dissolution of the CENI, transfers all of its powers and responsibilities to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, and mandates the handover of its assets, archives and official records. It also repeals earlier legal provisions and outlines enforcement terms.
State Minister for Territorial Administration Émile Zerbo said the reform is intended to “strengthen institutional coherence” with the country’s Transition Charter and improve efficiency within government.
“We conducted a review of existing institutions and found that the CENI no longer reflected current sociopolitical realities and had become financially burdensome,” Zerbo said. He noted that the commission’s annual operating budget, close to 500 million CFA francs outside election cycles, was unsustainable amid tighter fiscal conditions.
The minister added that the decision followed recommendations from a national dialogue held on 25 May 2024, which called for rationalising state structures and extending the transition period.
A committee will oversee the reassignment of the CENI’s 104 staff members and the redistribution of its resources. “What remains useful will be retained,” Zerbo said, indicating that personnel and equipment may be absorbed into government services.
With the CENI now dissolved, the responsibility for organising future elections shifts directly to the Ministry of Territorial Administration.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
