Traorism Fever and the crisis of democracy in Africa

ACROSS Africa, a new political wave is capturing public and media attention, the rise of what can be termed Traorism Fever.

- BOIKANYO NKWATLE

Named after Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the military leader of Burkina Faso who seized power in 2022 through a coup d’état, this phenomenon reflects growing public admiration for his unconventional leadership style.

Traoré has emerged as a central figure in Africa’s ongoing struggle for economic justice and sovereignty. He champions beneficiation — the local processing of Africa’s raw materials —as a key strategy for reclaiming control over national wealth. Under his leadership, Burkina Faso has begun to assert greater authority over its natural resources, insisting that the benefits of extraction stay within the continent and serve African populations first.

By challenging exploitative mining contracts and resisting external influence, Traoré is positioning himself at the forefront of a new generation of African leaders committed to breaking from the status quo. Many have drawn parallels between Captain Ibrahim Traoré and Thomas Sankara, both in ideology and action.

Like Sankara, Traoré has captured the imagination of a generation disillusioned with slow-moving democratic institutions, external interference and deep-rooted inequality. What sets Traoré apart is his governance style - swift, centralised and action-oriented. In a context marked by insecurity and institutional paralysis, his decisiveness has resonated with citizens frustrated by sluggish government progress.

Most strikingly, Botswana’s President Duma Boko recently expressed open respect for Traoré’s governing style. Speaking candidly about the procedural delays within his administration, he observed: “While Traoré can wake up, dream it up and the next morning it is law and action follows, in my context, initiatives are bogged down by layers of procedure, tenders, evaluations and interdicts that can delay implementation for years.