Many people say they will vote for the candidate who has the best chance of promoting economic growth in a landlocked country that exports gold and cotton but remains impoverished.
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He was ousted in October previous year, when demonstrators protested against his attempt to change the constitution to extend his tenure.
Burkina Faso voters are electing a president and parliament on Sunday, one year after a violent public uprising forced the West African country’s long-time leader out of office.
During his almost three decades in power, the hometown of Burkina Faso’s ex-president transformed from a dusty village into a fast-growing provincial capital boasting paved roads, a private presidential estate and even a zoo with hippos and giraffes. “The distractions of the election period could provide a greater opportunity for militants to enter Burkina Faso, most likely from Mali, and carry out attacks”, said Simon Jennings, an analyst at London-based Assaye Risk. Its leaders were thrown behind bars and the presidential and general elections were re-scheduled. Turnout is expected to be heavy among the 5.5 million registered voters who will also choose deputies for the National Assembly. A transitional authorities was put in place, still it was shortly at odds with Compaore’s elite presidential guard.
The presidential candidates approved by the Constitutional Council include two women, four independent candidates and 10 candidates sponsored by political parties.
If no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round, a second round will be held.
His main rival, Zephirin Diabre, 56, was the country’s minister of finance during the 1990s before he stepped down to start an opposition party.
At one point, he joined the United Nations Development Programme with support from Mr Compaore.
Interim president Michel Kafando said that the election was a ‘victory for the youth that has expressed its will for change and real democracy’.
Polls close at 18:00 GMT and provisional results should be known by Monday evening.
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Halidou Ouedraogo, president of the CODEL, a group of civil society organizations that deployed 6,000 observers across the country, said no major incidents were observed.
