Zida 's appointment comes shortly after US and
other powers praised progress towards civilian
transitional government .
The military colonel who briefly seized control of
Burkina Faso after the longtime president stepped
down, has been chosen to serve as interim prime
minister, four days after he restored the country' s
constitution .
The selection of Lieutenant -Colonel Isaac Yacouba
Zida on Wednesday came just a day after the US
and others praised Burkina Faso for pressing
ahead with a civilian transitional government .
Zida 's appointment was read out by decree at the
presidential palace by Alain Ouattara, the assistant
secretary -general of the government .
The military initially had picked Zida to lead
Burkina Faso after it took control in the power
vacuum after longtime President Blaise Compaore
resigned on October 31, ending a 27-year -rule .
Compaore' s resignation was forced by angry
demonstrators who set the parliament on fire to
show their displeasure over his attempts to seek
another term in office .
The international community urged the military to
swiftly hand back power or face stiff economic
sanctions.
It was not immediately clear whether the African
Union would accept an army colonel playing such
a pivotal role in
the transition , AP news agency reported .
The selection of Zida also comes a day after
longtime diplomat Michel Kafando was sworn in
as president of the transitional government to lead
the country to elections in a year ' s time .
Zida , 49, is from the same Mossi ethnic group as
Kafando.
The US had encouraged Kafando "to select
individuals to serve in the transitional government
who are firmly committed to a democratic, civilian
government" .
All Jazeera.
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