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11-564: Soon after Independence in 1960, UDV-RDA became the only legal political party in Upper Volta and a civilian dictatorship was set up. In 1966, there was a military coup to overthrow the government, and the UDV-RDA didn't exist in the new government. Under the rule of Sangoulé Lamizana UDV-RDA was reconstructed and developed good relations with the government. The relation to Lamizana did however cause internal dissent. The pro-Lamizana faction

22-538: A clear majority of the assembly to the UDV. In the early 1970s the effect of a five-year drought and increasing desertification in the Sahel brought the threat of famine to several nations including Upper Volta. The resulting economic dislocation encouraged factionalism in the government, headed by Gérard Kango Ouédraogo , the prime minister who had been appointed by Lamizana. Again military intervention and dissolution of

33-425: A general strike and a military coup on 3 January 1966, giving power to General Sangoulé Lamizana on the demonstrators' demand. Lamizana served as nominal head of a "provisional military government" until a new Constitution, ratified on 14 June 1970, provided for a four-year transition to fully civilian elected leadership; he was also foreign minister from 1966 to 1967. Elections under the new Constitution delivered

44-466: The French Union in 1960, opposition parties either merged with the governing party, Union démocratique voltaïque (UDV), or were banned, transforming Upper Volta into a single party state, headed by Maurice Yaméogo as President. Yaméogo's one-party regime elicited much unrest; student strikes and mass demonstrations by students, labor unions, and civil servants. Yaméogo was forced to resign after

55-459: The assembly brought Lamizana back in control, essentially now as dictator. Lamizana's regime had international recognition and visited with U.S. President Richard Nixon . On 15 October 1973 Lamizana met with President Nixon and briefed him on the Sahel drought in the Oval Office . Lamizana explained that he represented himself and the other Sahel governments and hoped to secure aid during

66-627: The candidature of Joseph Ouédrago. After the elections this faction split away and joined the Voltaic Progressive Front of Joseph Ki-Zerbo . After the elections Lamizana joined the party. The party was also joined by the National Union of Independents (UNI) and the African Regroupment Party (PRA), which lost their status as political parties following the elections (the 1977 Constitution limited

77-586: The famine and drought. Nixon promised to provide as much help as he could. His personal party following was styled the National Movement for Renewal, although that became a short-lived formation. A new Constitution was written and approved in a referendum in 1977, and Lamizana was reelected in open elections in 1978; this election is generally considered as being among the most democratic ever held in West Africa. Later Lamizana joined UDV. With

88-596: The largest of the many opposition parties in Burkina Faso. Sangoul%C3%A9 Lamizana Aboubakar Sangoulé Lamizana (31 January 1916 – 26 May 2005) was an Upper Voltan military officer who served as the President of Upper Volta (since 1984 renamed Burkina Faso ), in power from 3 January 1966, to 25 November 1980. He held the additional position of Prime Minister from 8 February 1974, to 7 July 1978. After Upper Volta achieved complete independence from

99-523: The number of political parties to three, and PRA and UNI were the parties that came 4th and 5th thus losing their legal status). When Lamizana was overthrown in 1980, military rule was reinstituted, and the RDA never returned to power. Nowadays it is part of the Alliance for Democracy and Federation-African Democratic Rally ( Alliance pour la Démocratie et la Fédération-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain ),

110-547: The support of unions and civil groups, Col. Saye Zerbo overthrew Lamizana in a bloodless military coup in November 1980. 1977 Upper Voltan constitutional referendum A constitutional referendum was held in the Republic of Upper Volta on 27 November 1977. It followed the 1974 military coup , and would restore multi-party democracy. The new constitution retained the presidential system of government, and limited

121-417: Was led by Prime Minister Joseph Conombo and the anti-Lamizana faction was led by Joseph Ouédrago . At the time of the presidential and legislative elections 1978 UDV-RDA had one list for legislative but the different factions supported different presidential candidates. The party officially supported Lamizana's candidature. The dissidents, grouped as the 'Rejectors Front-RDA' ( Front du Réfus-RDA ) supported

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