Burkina president says he's back in charge

Burkina Faso interim president Michel Kafando, who was taken hostage during a coup last week, said on Wednesday he was back in power and had restored a civilian transitional government. However, it was unclear who was really in charge after the rebellion’s leader attended a state function.

“I have returned to work,” Kafando told journalists at the foreign ministry in Ouagadougou.“The transition is back and at this very minute is exercising the power of the state.”

At about the same time, around 3 miles away, coup leader General Gilbert Diendere appeared at the airport, backed by a contingent of his presidential guard, to welcome regional leaders arriving to try to negotiate an end to the crisis.

Burkina Faso's military stepped up pressure on Diendere and his soldiers in recent days to cede power, threatening to disarm them by force if necessary. It said it had reached an agreement with members of Diendere's force overnight. 

While troops loyal to the government were not visible on the streets of Ouagadougou Wednesday, presidential guard soldiers backing Diendere maintained their positions at the national television headquarters, despite the deal that required them to be confined to barracks to avoid clashes.

The head of protocol for the presidency, present at the airport, told Reuters that an official ceremony during which power would be handed back to the transitional authorities was scheduled for later on Wednesday. Until then, he said Diendere would remain in charge.

Leaders from Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Togo, Benin and Ghana were due to arrive, underlining regional concern for a country that was less that a month away from Oct. 11 elections when the rebelling soldiers raided the cabinet.

They were due to meet the coup leaders and transitional authorities to negotiate a final settlement to restore the civilian government.

One by one, Diendere extended a full state welcome to each arriving leader, greeting them on a red carpet and standing beside them as a military band played their national anthems.

The October election was meant to restore Burkina Faso to democracy after last year's overthrow of longtime ruler Blaise Compaore by massed crowds protesting against his plans to extend his rule.

Diendere is the former spy chief and right-hand man of Compaore.

Compaore's overthrow had made Burkina Faso a beacon for democratic aspirations in Africa, where veteran rulers in countries from Rwanda to Congo Republic are seeking to scrap constitutional term limits. 

Wire services