1980 Upper Voltan coup d'état 1980 Upper Voltan coup d'état The 1980 Upper Voltan coup d'état took place on 25 November 1980 in the Republic of Upper Volta (today Burkina Faso). Following a long period of drought, famine, popular unrest and labour strikes, Colonel Saye Zerbo overthrew President Sangoulé Lamizana, another military leader. Zerbo himself would be overthrown only two years later. Upper Volta had gained independence from France in 1960, after which President Maurice Yaméogo set about creating a single-party dictatorship ruled by his own Voltaic Democratic Union. Following several rigged elections and a new austerity budget being instituted, the powerful trade unions rose
Republic of Upper Volta Commissioner: From 1971 to 1987, the Republic of Upper Volta was reigned by Prime Minister: The three colors of the national flag of Upper Volta come from the fact that the Volta has three parts: In French: Verse 1: "Fière Volta de mes aieux," "Ton soleil ardent et glorieux" "Te revêt d'or et de fierté" "Ô Reine drapée de loyauté !" Refrain: "Nous te ferons et plus forte, et plus belle" "À ton amour nous resterons fidèles" "Et nos cœurs vibrant de fierté" "Acclameront ta beauté" "Vers l'horizon lève les yeux" "Frémis aux accents tumultueux" "De tes fiers enfants tous