Burkina Faso’s military ruler, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has dissolved the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), further tightening his grip on power.

The announcement was made by Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, who stated that the Interior Ministry would now oversee electoral processes. He cited the need to “reinforce our sovereign control over the electoral process and limit foreign influences.”

This move comes after the country’s transition charter was revised, pushing elections initially expected in 2024, back to no later than July 2029. This allows Traoré to remain in power for several more years and potentially contest the next presidential election.

The dissolution of the electoral commission is part of a broader institutional overhaul that has been underway since the military seized power in September 2022, raising widespread concerns about the erosion of democratic governance in the country.

Zerbo defended the decision by pointing to the financial burden of maintaining the commission, which he said cost nearly half a billion CFA francs (approximately $870,000) annually.

The development reflects a growing trend in West Africa, where military-led governments are consolidating power in response to insecurity and public dissatisfaction with elected administrations.

Burkina Faso has also distanced itself from its former colonial power, France, while strengthening ties with Russia and aligning more closely with its junta-led neighbors, Mali and Niger, under the Alliance of Sahel States.