Mutiny rocks Ouagadougou as food price unrest spreads

Soldiers in Burkian Faso's elite, and supposedly ultra-loyal, presidential guard fired their guns in the air and went on a looting rampage in Ouagadougou, the capital, causing President Blaise Compaore to briefly flee for safety.

Buildings were burned down, including the home of Compaore’s chief of staff, as angry soldiers protests against the government’s failure to pay housing subsidies. Compaore, who has ruled since seizing power in a military coup in 1987, is said to have fled to his home town of Ziniare for a few hours during the worst of the shooting.

The soldiers’ action came late on Thursday night following a day of civil protest at the high cost of living.

Also on Thursday the World Bank said that food prices worldwide are 36% higher than this time a year ago, and the pinch is being felt most in some of the world’s poorest and hungriest countries, many of which are in Africa.

Analysts said Burkina Faso and other landlocked West African countries are especially hard-hit because of the fighting in Ivory Coast which has blocked a key import route for months.

Protests against rising food and fuel prices in Uganda turned violent on Thursday with dozens injured and a leading opposition politician who was leading a “walk-to-work” demonstration hit by a stray bullet.

The revolutions in North Africa were sparked by protests over unaffordable food in Tunisia, last year food price riots rocked Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, and in 2008 when world food prices reached an all-time high there were riots in numerous African capitals.

As prices climb steadily higher the risks are becoming ever clearer.