This week, Burkina Faso underwent a partial government reshuffle, accompanied by a symbolic reconfiguration of certain ministries, notably the Ministry of Defense, which was renamed the Ministry of War and Patriotic Defense, headed by Major General Célestin Simporé. The announcement was made during the 8 p.m. television news by the Minister Secretary-General of the Government. This readjustment is part of a government tightening around a team presented as better suited to the current context, marked by the fight against insecurity and "territorial reconquest." This reshuffle is certainly partial but politically significant. Symbolically, through certain terminology—Ministry of War and Patriotic Defense—the military authorities are signaling their desire to further politicize the security sector by framing it in terms of national mobilization, legitimizing a strategy of total war against armed groups, and consolidating a patriotic and sovereignist narrative under the leadership of Captain Ibrahima Traoré. At the same time, a ministry of "servants of the people" has been established. Many observers see this as a populist reconfiguration of the state aimed at reaffirming the proximity of power to the so-called "popular" social classes and symbolizing a break with the old, elitist style of governance. 

Viviane Yolande Compaoré case: investigation opened after gruesome discovery

At the same time, the news in Burkina Faso was marked by a serious event: Viviane Yolande Compaoré/Ouédraogo, a former minister and political figure, was found murdered in her home. According to the Faso prosecutor at the Ouagadougou High Court, the body was discovered on January 10, 2026, in a house in Sector 51, Karpala district. Initial findings indicate that this was an assault followed by murder. A team comprising the public prosecutor's office, the judicial police, the forensic police, and a medical examiner visited the scene. The authorities have announced the opening of an investigation and have appealed for witnesses to help find the perpetrators and accomplices. This incident comes after several cases of mysterious kidnappings and murders in Burkina Faso in recent years, which have created a climate of suspicion.