Burkina Faso’s opposition leader Zephirin Diabre speaks on October 28,2014 in Ouagadougou

Burkinabe opposition made good their threat today to call out their people for another demonstration, this time against Lt.Col Isaac Zida, the military officer who claimed he is now the head of state of the country, two days after the exit of the long reigning leader, Blaise Compaore.

Thousands gathered in the centre of the capital in Ouagadougou to denounce what they called a military coup. The demonstrators had forced Compaore to resign, what they didn’t expect, was another military usurper.

Compaore’s 27 years in charge of the landlocked country ended on Friday when his bid to change the constitution to extend his rule was thwarted. A power struggle ensued and on Saturday Presidential Guard commander Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida was appointed as transitional leader, superseding an earlier claim by the army chief of staff.

In Ouagadougou’s Place de La Nation on Sunday, opposition leaders denounced the power grab to the assembled crowds, while a U.N. official warned of possible sanctions if Zida obstructed a return to civilian rule.

The central square was the site of the violent demonstrations against Compaore, in which three people were killed and the parliament set ablaze.

On Sunday those gathered there turned their anger against Zida, a large bespectacled man little known outside military circles whose trademark is a red beret.

One citizen carried a placard saying “Zida = Judas” while another said “Zida – get out of here”.

“They are coming from Kossyam to enslave us,” said protestor Sanou Eric, in a reference to the Presidential Palace. “This is a coup d’etat. Zida has come out of nowhere.”

“I am here to stop the army from stealing our victory,” said another protestor, Boubacar Sow.

‘HOPING FOR A TRANSITION’

The head of the United Nations Office for West Africa joined the United States and the African Union in rejecting the army’s seizure of power but expressed cautious optimism about a return to civilian rule.

“We are hoping for a transition led by civilians in line with the constitution,” Mohammed Ibn Chambas said.

“He (Zida) said he will reflect and try to work with the U.N., African Union and the Economic Community of West African States and to find an acceptable agreement which conforms to the constitution,” he said, adding that sanctions were a possibility if there was no progress.

Under Burkina Faso’s constitution, the head of the National Assembly should take office if the president resigns, with a mandate to organise elections within 90 days. However the army has dissolved the legislature and suspended the constitution.