Thousands of Burkina Faso civil servants protest bonus tax

Ouagadougou,

Thousands of Burkina Faso civil servants took to the streets of Ouagadougou on Saturday to protest against a new tax on bonus payments.

Between 10,000-20,000 took part in the demonstrations, some singing the national anthem and chanting "bread and freedom for the people", an AFP reporter saw.

The government in February extended an exceptional tax on civil servants bonuses.

According to authorities, it was needed to bring civil servants into line with private sector workers.

WORKERS CRUSHED

Of the country's 200,000 civil servants, 190,000 saw their salary in February decrease by 1,000-5,0000 West African CFA francs (1.5-7.5 euros, $1.7-8.5).

"Workers are being crushed by so many taxes. 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," health worker Sayouba Compaore, 43, told AFP.

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

POVERTY

President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, elected in 2015, had pledged to reduce poverty through an ambitious national economic and social development plan.

But his government failed to secure the 28 billion euros ($32 billion) needed to fund it.

Along with neighbours Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world, is facing a growing jihadist insurgency that has put even greater strain on its economy.

Jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso have killed around 800 people and forced 800,000 from their homes since 2015.