Traditional Chieftaincy, Party Politics, and Political Violence in Burkina Faso

Abstract

This chapter explores the dynamic and changing relationship between the traditional chieftaincy and national politics in the context of political violence in present-day Burkina Faso.1 While the struggle against impunity—that is, against the freedom of punishment for “blood” and economic crimes committed by holders of political power—and the flourishing mass media debate mark important steps in the democratization of Burkinabe public life (Hagberg 2002; Santiso and Loada 2003), party politics retains an extremely ambiguous relationship with traditional chieftaincy On the one hand, the chieftaincy is seen as standing above party loyalties and national political debate. The chief represents, it is argued, the entire population beyond sectarian interests. On the other hand, the wave of democratization has led to the increased involvement of the traditional chieftaincy in party politics. Chiefs are seen as “big electors,” capable of mobilizing support and voters for the party. In addition, many ministers and members of parliament (MPs) come from chiefly families, thus simultaneously representing modernity and tradition, democracy and monarchy. In the late 1990s, however, the relationship between the traditional chieftaincy and party politics changed in Burkina Faso. In 2000–2001, some chiefs were involved in cases of political violence, in which the chief’s legitimacy was used to justify serious crimes against state law, such as the assassination of political opponents.