Abstract

The emergence of one-party states in Burkina Faso and Tanzania was a significant political phenomenon in Africa during the post-colonial era. Both countries gained independence from their European colonizers in the early 1960s and subsequently established one-party systems of government as a means of promoting national unity, stability, and development, but it also had significant drawbacks, including the suppression of political pluralism and democratic participation. In Burkina Faso, the establishment of a one-party state was a result of a series of political crises and coups, and its first president, Maurice Yaméogo, established the Voltaic Democratic Union (UDV) as the ruling party. However, Yaméogo’s authoritarian rule and his attempts to amend the constitution to extend his term in office led to widespread protests and a military coup in 1966. The military junta established a new political party, the National Liberation Council (CNL), which was later replaced by the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) in 1970. The PDP was the only legal political party in Burkina Faso until 1991 when a popular uprising led to the establishment of a multi-party democracy. In Tanzania, the establishment of a one-party state was a deliberate  policy of the country’s first president, Julius Nyerere who believed that a one-party system was necessary to promote national unity and prevent tribalism, which he saw as a major obstacle to development. The emergence of one-party states in Burkina Faso and Tanzania had both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, it provided political stability and allowed for the implementation of development programs. It also stifled political pluralism and democratic participation, leading to corruption, human rights abuses, and economic stagnation. The research examined the emergence of one-party states in Burkina Faso and Tanzania, with a particular focus on the political, social, and economic factors that contributed to their establishment and maintenance. The paper also explored the consequences of one-party rule for these countries and their people, and the factors that led to their eventual transition to multi-party democracy.

Keywords: Burkina Faso, Tanzania, One-party, Nyerere, Compaoré, Political stability