Thousands protest tax reform in Burkina Faso

Thousands of people, including workers of the public and private sector, have taken to the streets of Burkina Faso’s capital to protest against the government’s new tax reform, which has led to salary cuts for them.

According to Press TV, between 10,000 and 20,000 people participated in the demonstration in Ouagadougou on Saturday, chanting “Bread and freedom for the people.”

The government extended an exceptional tax on civil servants’ bonuses in February. Of the country’s 200,000 civil servants, 190,000 saw their salary decrease by 1.7-8.5 dollars in February as a result.

This is while President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who was elected five years ago, had promised to reduce poverty through a national economic and social development plan in the West African nation. His government, however, failed to secure the 28 billion euros (32 billion dollars) needed to fund the plan.

“Workers are being crushed by so many taxes,” said health worker Sayouba Compaore. “This new tax will not change anything in the country as long as the leaders do not make the competent management of the public good a priority.”

Unions are now planning a general strike from March 16 to 20, with a march to be held on March 17.

Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world, is facing huge youth unemployment.

The country is also facing a growing militancy that has put even greater strain on its economy. Terrorist attacks in the country have killed around 800 people and forced 800,000 from their homes since 2015.

ME